


Summer Traditions

by kelex



Category: Smallville
Genre: First Time, Humor, M/M, PWP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-11-20
Updated: 2002-11-20
Packaged: 2017-11-01 06:36:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelex/pseuds/kelex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe's annual End of School Summer Cookout, a karaoke machine, and a tin tub of spiked punch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Cat for the idea--she is the best. Diana helped to bring you "I'm Too Sexy," as well as being the best damn beta reader in the world. Te's _Subtext_ was a pretty huge inspiration for Clark and Chloe's conversation in the grocery store. 

## Summer Traditions

by Kel

<http://crystalshard24.tripod.com/smallville.html>

* * *

Disclaimers: Humor fic. I am seriously switching around couples to suit my own taste. Write off any character inconsistencies to the tin tub of spiked punch. 

* * *

"C'mon, Lex. You gotta." 

Lex trained his young friend with a half teasing glare. "I don't 'gotta' do anything, Clark." 

"Okay, fine. You _have_ to." Clark made a face at Lex for correcting his grammar, but truly he didn't mind. Lex was about the only person he allowed to do it, simply because it made him feel warm and fuzzy inside that Lex _cared_ enough about the way he sounded to want him sounding un-dork-like. 

"Better. And no, I don't _have_ to do anything." The glare turned into a lazy smirk. 

"Please? It'll be fun. Chloe _always_ has this really great party on Memorial Day. It's like... celebrating the first day of summer, cause our last day of school will be Friday. Saturday will be our first official day of freedom. There'll be dogs and burgers and chips and stuff. And... this year her dad is renting a karaoke machine for the party too." 

"Oh, yes, you're making this sound so entirely appealing. Eat food that's guaranteed to send my cholesterol skyrocketing through the roof while being serenaded by a rowdy group of teenagers singing off-key to _Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees._ Totally and completely resistible." 

"You'll have fun. I guarantee it." Clark looked up at Lex, his eyes open wide and his face innocent. 

"That kicked puppy look doesn't work with me, Clark. You wouldn't believe the number of people who've tried it on me." Though he had to admit, none of them had the doe-like eyes that Clark Kent had, coupled with the full lips that pouted slightly when he didn't get his way. "Trust me, Clark. Not working." Lex knew he was protesting too much. "Clark... don't wobble that lower lip at me." 

"I want you to come, Lex. You're my best friend. You need to be there." Clark's eyes were earnest as he looked at Lex. "I want you there. Please." 

Lex sighed, and leaned over his desk, making a note on his calendar to clear the weekend. "All right. I'll be there." 

"Great!!" Clark was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Want me to pick you up?" 

"I think I can be trusted to drive less than fifteen blocks without a babysitter, Clark. What time does this gala bash start?" 

"Eleven. That's when Mr. Sullivan will start grilling. It's bring your own stuff, so you can bring whatever." 

"Whatever?" 

"Yeah, whatever it is you want to drink. Mom and Dad are bringing like five gallons of tea, Chloe's making this huge tin tub of punch, and Pete's family always brings like ten bottles of Pepsi. Last year Whitney brought in a case of beer, but that was a one time thing that he got from his dad." 

"I am assuming tin tub is figurative?" 

"No, she makes it up in this big tin tub lined with plastic." 

Lex was seriously beginning to reconsider his agreement. "I think I'll bring my own." 

Clark held out his hand and caught Lex's arm. "I'm really glad you're going to be there." 

"What, and miss out on the cultural event of a lifetime?" Lex's breath caught in his throat as Clark touched his arm. "I wouldn't want to let you down." 

Clark started for the door, and when he reached the threshold, he looked back. "Saturday. Eleven A.M. If you're not there, I'm hunting you down." 

"I'll be there with bells on," Lex reassured his young friend. 

"That would be an interesting fashion statement," Clark tossed over his shoulder as he walked out the door. 

Lex sighed, walking around his desk to settle into his leather chair. He picked up a pen and tapped Saturday's date on the calendar. The only thing on Saturday was... Christ. A meeting with his father. Fuck it. Lionel could wait. Clark wanted him at the party, and at the party he'd be. 

* * *

Friday afternoon found Chloe on the Kents' porch, waiting for Clark to bring down the box from the attic. "I still don't know why you need this stuff," he said, dumping the box down in front of Chloe. 

"Because, Clark, this is a party." She made little noises of happy discovery as she pulled out the boxes of streamers, the plastic plates and cups, and finally, her list of ingredients. "Your mom's just cool enough to store it for me every year. Hey, drive me to the store." 

"What, do I look like your chauffeur?" 

"Do you want the punch or not?" 

"Of course, I do." 

"Okay, good. So you're driving." 

"I guess I'm driving," Clark echoed, grabbing his keys from the table. "Mom! Me and Chloe are going to the store, we'll be back!" 

"I'll have him home before dark, Mrs. Kent!" 

"It's not like I'll turn into a pumpkin if I'm out after dark!" Clark protested as he followed Chloe outside, the screen door banging shut behind him. 

Chloe slid into the passenger side, beeping the horn to hurry Clark up. "Before I start collecting Social Security!" 

"Hey, you can always drive yourself, you know." Clark dropped the box into the back of the truck, then slid into the cab, slammed the driver's side door and buckled the seat belt. "Okay. Grocery store, here we come." 

"Oh, hey, before I forget. The Kellars said that we could use their pool, so bring a swimsuit." Clark made a mental note to call Lex and tell him, and then almost ran the truck off the road when the thought of Lex in a swimsuit hit him. "Hey, Clark! You're supposed to drive in the road, not the ditches," Chloe nagged. 

"Sorry, thought I saw something in the road," he hedged. "So they're letting us use the pool this year, huh?" 

"Yeah, they're going to be out of town for the weekend, so they said we're free to use it as long as we don't go into the house. So they left us a key to their fence and everything. I figure that we can take a swim after we do karaoke. I want to get a head start on my tan. I can't wait to dump this fish-belly look for a nice, deep tan." 

"You know, tanning like that can really damage your skin. Besides, you look great the way you are." 

Chloe grinned at Clark. "Why thank you, Mr. Kent!" 

"You're quite welcome, Ms. Sullivan!" Clark returned the grin as he parked the truck at the store. "May I have the pleasure of escorting you?" 

"Of course." Chloe couldn't contain the giggles as Clark came around to her side of the truck, opened her door, and then helped her out of the truck. He offered his elbow and she took it, unable to wipe the happy grin off her face. She loved going places with Clark because whenever he was around... things usually went from ordinary to extraordinary. Like being escorted into the grocery store like it was a royal palace. "Thank you, kind sir." 

Clark bowed as he pulled out a buggy for her. "Your chariot, my lady." He picked her up and deposited her in the cart, grinning the whole time. "Where shall we go first?" 

Chloe scrabbled in her pockets for the list. "Ah, okay, here we go. Um... canned fruit juices, please." 

Clark wheeled the buggy through the mostly empty store as Chloe clutched the sides of the cart. He brought them to a stop at the top of the juice aisle and then slowly pushed down it. "Okay... what kinds are we looking for?" 

"Pineapple, mango, peach, cherry, apple, and ginger ale. Oh yeah, we also need to get a tub of sherbet, maraschino cherries, and pineapple rings." 

"You wait here. I'll be back." Clark went up and down the juice aisle, bringing three bottles of each flavor back to Chloe, who stacked them in the cart behind her. "Okay... next stop, soft drinks." 

"Ride on, my faithful charger." 

"Shouldn't that be right on?" Clark asked. He wheeled over to the soft drink aisle, where Clark brought back six bottles of ginger ale. Chloe giggled and directed him back to the frozen food aisle where she picked out three tubs of tropical sherbet, and then to the sugar aisle where they found cherries, pineapple rings, and to Chloe's delight, a party size box of little paper umbrellas. 

"Okay! We are ready to disco." 

"Disco?" Clark hoped he didn't sound as confused as he felt. 

"Yes, Clark. Disco. Dance. Shake your booty, move your ass to techno-sounding music while someone grinds against you." 

"Um... I don't dance, Chloe." 

There was the Clark she adored. Dense as a brick. "Yeah, well, I remember. Only you could trip over his own feet doing the Electric Slide." 

"Hey, it's not my fault they're big. Besides, I was distracted." 

"Distracted my ass. Just admit it, you didn't want to dance." 

"I wasn't the one who was hitting on the deejay trying to get him to play _Rico Suave_ by Gerardo." 

"God, do you _have_ to remember _every_ little detail?" Chloe flushed. "So I had an unnatural fascination for that song." 

"You want to talk about unnatural fascination, talk about Pete's unholy addiction to Vanilla Ice." 

"Now now, let's not make fun of other people's tasteless music choices. I got two words for you, Clark. Milli. Vanilli." 

"Chloe... you do realize that we're like total rejects in the music world considering we were probably like five when these songs were hot?" 

"Well, duh, Clark. We're always behind the times. I mean, how long did it take for _The Lost Boys_ to show up here and how long was it playing at the Talon before Lex and Lana turned it into a coffeehouse? If you ask me, that's probably what killed it. How many times can you see a damned vampire movie anyway?" 

Clark whistled innocently. "Um.... Five?" 

Chloe blinked as Clark helped her out of the cart and started loading the drinks onto the conveyor belt. "You went to see The Lost Boys _five_ times?" 

"Well, yeah. It's a cool movie. It's got vampires, it's got vampire hunters, comic books, I mean, what else could you want?" 

"Plot, script, acting, depth, less hairspray, stop me anytime." 

"Okay. So it's not exactly Oscar material, but it's a cool movie." 

"Clark, the thing's almost as old as you are." 

"So?" 

"You're hopeless, Clark. Totally hopeless." 

"You're just jealous because I've seen the cool movies and you haven't." 

"No, I can't believe you watched The Lost Boys five fucking times!" Chloe handed her dad's credit card to the cashier and then signed the slip as he passed it back. "I mean, come on! You could rent better movies!" 

"Hey, it's fun. It's fun to watch, I don't have to think about it, it's just an all around great movie." Clark loaded the bags into the cart, and he and Chloe pushed the buggy out together. "I asked you to go, remember?" 

"Yeah, well, watching boys sucking on each other isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but thanks for the offer." Clark whooped loudly once, startling Chloe. "Jesus, Clark! Give me a heart attack, why don't you?" 

Clark was pounding his fist on the buggy, trying hard _not_ to respond to that. "Sorry," was all he could choke out. Chloe had absolutely no way of knowing that he was gay, or that her innocent comment would send him into total hysteria. 

Chloe mentally reviewed her words, and flushed as she realized what was setting Clark off. "Clark! God! Get your mind out of the gutter!" 

Clark dried his eyes on his sleeve, still smiling widely as he loaded the bags into the truck bed. "Sorry! You said it, Chloe, not me." 

"Are you going to be okay to drive?" 

"Yeah, yeah, fine." Clark slid into the seat, still grinning. "Home?" 

"God, not fast enough." 

"Your wish is my command." Clark cranked the truck and, still smirking, he pulled out into traffic. 

* * *

Saturday morning dawned with a cloudless sky and bright sunshine. Clark bounded out of bed and nearly giggled. He was going to be spending the whole day with Lex. Swimming with Lex. Eating hamburgers and hot dogs with Lex, stealing sips of whatever was hiding in Lex's brown bag. In seconds, he was showered and getting dressed, vibrating in the kitchen like an impatient pinball. 

Martha was the first to hear Clark knocking around downstairs, and she sighed deeply. "Clark! Stay out of the fridge! If you touch those desserts, I'll break your fingers!" 

"I'm just getting some milk, Mom!" he shouted, pulling his fingers guiltily away from the whipped cream topping on one of the congealed salads. Instead, he wrapped his hands around the neck of the milk bottle and pulled it out of the fridge, tipping it up to his mouth. 

"Glass, Clark," Martha chastised as she suddenly appeared next to him. "Despite the amount of time you spend in the barn, you were not raised in it." 

"But Mom! It tastes better like this!" 

Martha took the bottle away and poured the milk into a glass for her son. "Here. I'm thrilled that I don't have to whine at you to drink it, but please... try and remember your manners." She sighed as she put the bottle back into the fridge. "Why don't you go and wait out on the porch? Or even better, why don't you go and make sure that Lex is awake and ready to go? You don't want him to miss this, do you? You've only been talking about it all week." 

"You don't think Dad'll mind?" Clark was bouncing on his toes. 

"I'll take care of him. Don't forget your towel and bathing suit, and we'll bring the sun block--although you never seem to need it," she amended. Amused at his excitement, she watched as he buzzed up the stairs and came back down with a small duffel bag. It was stuffed nearly to overflowing, and she _almost_ asked what all was in the bag, but then realized that she probably really didn't want to know what her sixteen year old son was taking to a start-of-summer cookout. "See you at Chloe's." 

"Bye, Mom!" Clark flew out of the house at top speed, then cut through the fields, the corn whipping in his backwash. He ran until he reached the foot of Lex's driveway and then walked normally up. He looked down at his watch: 9:45. Shimmying easily through the bars of the gate, Clark hurried up to the door and knocked. He was surprised when Lex answered the door himself. "Lex!" 

"Good morning, Clark. I've been expecting you for the last half hour," he teased with a grin. "Come to check up on me?" 

Clark bounced. "Mom threw me out of the house. I think I was a little wired." 

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed." Lex led the way into the library, smirking softly. "What's in the bag, Clark? Preparing to kidnap me if I change my mind?" 

Clark stopped in his tracks. "You changed your mind?" 

Lex nearly melted at the totally stricken look that passed over Clark's face. He never wanted to see that look on his friend ever again. He turned back around and took the few steps back to stand beside Clark. "No, Clark, I was teasing you." He resisted the urge to reach up and brush the young man's unruly bangs out of his eyes. "I wouldn't change my mind about something this important to you." 

Clark relaxed. "You had me scared there, Lex. And yeah... I think it'll be great. It'll give everyone a chance to get used to you. You're my best friend, and... well..." 

"I know, Clark," Lex said quietly. He knew exactly what Clark was trying to say, and his eyes let the boy know that Lex felt the same way. 

"Yeah. Good. So, let's go." Clark's face spread into a slow grin, the one that Lex had come to realize was reserved only for him. Wide, bright and happy, he never saw it on Clark's face unless he was with his friend. 

"Don't you think we're a bit early?" Lex dropped onto the leather couch in the library, and poured two glasses of orange juice from the pitcher on the table. Clark sat down beside him without hesitation, dropping his bag on the floor between them. "What's in the bag?" 

"Oh!! Crap!" Clark sat his glass down. "I forgot to call you last night! Chloe's neighbors are out of town, and they said we could use the pool! You need to bring a swimsuit." 

"Assuming that I swim." 

"Lex, come on! You do everything else, you gotta--have to--know how to swim." 

"In my private pool, yes. However, I don't think that will work in this case." 

"Why not?" 

Lex smirked over the rim of his glass. "Because I usually skinny dip." 

Clark's jaw dropped, and Lex gently reached over and closed it. "Skinny dip?" 

"Yes. You do know what skinny dipping is, don't you, Clark?" 

"Well, duh, of course. I just never thought of you as a skinny dipper." 

Lex couldn't help himself; orange juice sprayed out of his nose. "Been considering my swimming habits, have you?" 

Clark blushed bright red. _Okay, big mouth, you just swallowed both feet. How you going to get out of this one?_

"It's all right if you have, Clark. I'd be honored that I made it into your thoughts past whatever lascivious fantasies you have about the questionably charming Ms. Lang." 

Clark had no clue what Lex had just said; his brain was still stuck on the image of Lex. More specifically, of Lex swimming naked in his pool. He barely registered Lex talking to him, and he fixed a blank stare in Lex's general direction, blinking several times as he heard the expectant pause for his response. "Huh?" was the most articulate thing he could come up with. 

Lex had been careful not to drink, as he was enjoying Clark's stunned reaction and wondering what his reply would be. "Nothing, Clark, I just said that I would be honored to know I made it into your thoughts at all." 

"Of course I think about you, Lex. Are you nuts?" Clark cringed as soon as the words were out of his mouth. _Real smooth there, you geek._

"Dare I ask what goes on in that fascinating brain of yours, Clark? Or would I be happier not knowing?" 

Clark licked suddenly dry lips as he reached for his orange juice. "Um... I really think you'd be happier not knowing." _Jesus, Clark, don't you realize a cue to shut up and stop talking when you hear one?_

Lex chuckled softly. He'd hoped that Clark had picked up on his not-very-subtle hints, and apparently, the repeated bashing with the proverbial two by four was paying off. "Well, are you coming or not?" Lex asked, gracefully rising to his feet. 

Clark looked a little desperate. "Where are we going?" he asked, slowly getting to his feet beside Lex. Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut? 

Lex almost felt sorry for Clark. "Why to pick out a swimsuit of course. I have quite a few in my dresser, for occasions just like this." 

Clark tripped over the threshold. Dresser meant Lex's bedroom, and that was somewhere he definitely didn't need to be going. Especially not with visions of skinny dipping Lex dancing in his head while Lex paraded around in nothing but swimwear. "Um." 

"Right this way." Lex wasn't taking no for an answer, and he kept walking, confident that Clark would be following. 

Clark trailed behind Lex, his bag dangling from his hand and bouncing against his leg as he climbed the stairs behind his friend, watching the hypnotizing sway of his hips. _Big mouth,_ he chastised himself again. At least if he died during this, he'd die happy. 

Lex threw open the heavy oak door that led into his bedroom. "Have a seat on the bed. Make yourself comfortable." He went straight for his dresser and pulled out a handful of swimsuits, and ducked behind the tall screen in the corner. Knowing that Clark would be watching, he quickly shucked off the light gray pullover and folded it over the top of the screen. "I hope these things still fit, it's been quite some time since I've needed to wear them." His slacks went next, and then his underwear, all folded and thrown over the top for Clark to see. 

Clark sat gingerly on Lex's bed. Make yourself comfortable, Lex had said, but Clark was pretty sure that didn't mean strip naked and jerk off while your x-ray vision watched your best friend changing clothes behind a black enamel screen. He slammed his eyes closed as the slacks went over the top, refusing to spy on Lex any further. He nearly strangled when Lex casually mentioned they might be too small, and he forced his voice not to squeak. "Um... you can... borrow mine." 

Lex caught the wall for balance as he heard that offer. Talk about getting into Clark's pants. "And you would wear what? Or do you intend to try skinny dipping yourself?" He pulled the snug fitting Speedo over his hips and adjusted his half-hard cock. They were solid purple, the stitching in the front intended for control did nothing but accentuate him, and he knew it. It was why he bought them. 

Clark choked when Lex suggested Clark go skinny dipping. "No! I brought two pairs." 

Lex walked around the screen. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're not quite the same size." 

Clark's eyes fastened on Lex's swimsuit--what there was of it. The high-cut leg revealed most of his hip, and the bulging crotch--Clark shook his head, definitely _not_ going there--well, it showed a hell of a lot more than it covered up, but Clark truly couldn't have cared less. It was pretty much every wet dream he'd ever had about Lex rolled up and handed to him in a purple-Speedo-wrapped package. He knew he was staring, but for long, happy moments, he didn't give a damn. 

_Gotcha, farmboy._ Lex's smirk widened until he swore he felt the corners of his mouth touching his ears. He schooled his face into a mask of bemusement, resting his hands on his hips as he waited to see how long it would take Clark to realize he was all but drooling helplessly. When a few moments passed and Clark still hadn't said anything, Lex snapped his fingers in front of Clark's face. "Earth to Clark Kent, come in Clark." 

Clark's entire body jolted as he realized he'd been staring openmouthed at his friend in a cross between drooling desire and stupefied shock. "Um, yeah." He dragged his duffel bag into his lap. "You look... nice." 

Lex made a small moue. "Just nice? I have others if you want to see them--I've always been told black flatters me." 

"No!" Clark shouted. 

"No, black doesn't flatter me?" 

"I mean, yes. No. Fuck!" 

"Clark?" It was on the tip of his tongue to tease about the invitation, but he thought better of it. 

"Jesus!" Clark shut his eyes and tried to think again. "I mean, yes, black makes you look like a wet dream come true. No, I don't need to see any others." 

"Interesting choice of words there, Clark. Something I should know about your wet dreams?" _Perhaps that I star in your own personal X-rated movie in your head?_

"No. Absolutely nothing you need to know. It was just... you know... figure of speech and all that." 

"Right. A very interesting figure of speech. So, purple?" 

"Oh yeah." 

"Great." Lex darted back behind the screen and stripped the small bathing suit off. "Hey, catch." He balled the lycra Speedo up and chucked it over the screen to Clark. "Put that in your bag for me." Clark dropped his bag as Lex's suit came flying at him. He caught it one handed, and then dropped it as he realized what he was holding. He bent to pick up both his bag and Lex's swimsuit, and that's how Lex found him when he came around the screen. Head nearly on the floor, hands reaching in two different directions to pick both things up. "Here, let me help you," he said, moving close to Clark. 

Clark's head shot up and the young man found himself at eye level with Lex's cock. "I got it, thanks." He scooted back on the bed and realized Lex hadn't put his shirt on yet. "You need a towel." 

"And you, my friend, need a bigger bag. What the hell is in there?" Lex grabbed the bag off Clark's lap and sat beside his friend as he dumped the contents out. Water guns, unfilled water balloons, two pairs of swim trunks, a rolled up beach towel, a pair of sunglasses, four CDs, two cassette tapes, a package of blank video tapes, and finally two pairs of flip-flops, one pair red and one pair black. Lex picked up the video tapes questioningly. 

"For Chloe's dad. He tapes the party every year." Clark was surprised he could still speak normally. "And Mom's bringing sun block, so you won't get burned. Cause... you know... fair skin and bald head." 

The thought of Martha Kent slathering suntan lotion on his head made Lex laugh insanely. "I'll... take it under advisement." Lex walked to his closet and dug around at the bottom for a few moments before pulling out a large black canvas bag with the LuthorCorp logo on it. "Here. With my compliments." He tossed it to Clark. 

"Wow, thanks. This'll be easier to put everything in. I'll have Mom wash it, and I'll bring it back after the party." 

"No, Clark, keep it. If I can't give you a truck, at least let me give you a duffel bag." 

Clark snorted. "I think my dad would be okay with that." 

Lex grinned and selected another gray shirt from the closet, this one short sleeved, and shrugged into it. He tucked it into the waistband of his lightweight cotton slacks, and completed the look with a pair of pristine black sneakers. 

"You're going to roast in all that black. Don't you... wear shorts?" Clark gestured at his own outfit, which consisted of a pair of denim shorts and a red sleeveless muscle shirt. 

"I don't think I own a pair of shorts." 

"Yeah, you do. Everybody owns shorts. It's like... a law." 

"I sincerely doubt that _And thou shalt own shorts_ was one of the Ten Commandments that Moses brought down off the mountain." Despite that, Lex turned back to his closet and started digging, and came up with a pair of creamy-white cotton shorts. "Close your eyes." Clark closed his eyes, peeking through his eyelids with his X-ray vision as Lex stripped down to his briefs and then pulled the creamy cotton shorts on. "Now you can look." 

Clark studied Lex carefully. "Yeah, better. That color looks great on you." 

"You think so? I always feel washed out when I wear it." 

"Not at all. Kinda sets off your eyes and your mouth." Clark's hands moved slightly in the air. "See, when it's all... well, you're all kinda pale, and any kind of color just... sets it off." Clark licked his lips as he looked at Lex. 

Despite the situation, Lex shivered slightly when Clark licked his lips. The whole tone of the room seemed to change with that simple gesture, and Lex had the sudden idea that Clark was dying to devour him whole. 

Lex opened his mouth to say something, to tease Clark again, and then suddenly he _couldn't_ say anything because something was in his mouth. In an instant he tasted Clark, his hands gripped hot farmboy skin, and he barely had time to process the fact that Clark was kissing him before he kissed back. His tongue fought against Clark's, pushing it out of his mouth and invading Clark's before the young man could pull away. Lex's hands moved from his friend's shoulders to his hair, his fingers burying themselves in the wavy locks as he pulled hard, increasing the pressure that sealed their mouths together. Clark's thumbs were rubbing Lex's nipples, and he arched, rubbing his body against Clark and swallowing the needy moan that slipped out of his partner's throat. Clark was sucking on his tongue, sucking the oxygen out of his lungs, and Lex was seeing stars. He _needed_ to breathe but just knew he'd die if he lost Clark's mouth. 

Clark tore his mouth away as he felt Lex going limp in his arms, and he pressed the bald man against the wall, his weight holding Lex there as his head rested on his friend's shoulder, listening to the impassioned panting as Lex drew in deep breaths to his starved lungs. He licked his lips again, tasting Lex all over them. His cock was aching, and he slipped his hand down, squeezing himself hard. "Lex." 

"Clark." Lex's fingertips stroked over Clark's cheek and brushed hair behind his ear. "I'm okay." 

Clark looked up. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I should have--" 

"Don't be sorry, Clark. I'm not." Lex put his fingers over Clark's mouth. "I've wanted that for quite some time now. But this isn't fair. I teased you into this, Clark. You have to be sure this is what you want." Lex moved so that Clark was pressed full length against him, the young man's erection burning his thigh. "Don't let me make you do something that you don't want to do." 

Clark caught one of Lex's hands and brought it down to press against his aching shaft. "I want you, Lex." 

"Then tonight," Lex said, rubbing Clark's erection. "If you still feel the same way tonight..." 

"I'm going to feel this way for the rest of my life," Clark reassured him. 

There it was, and that brought a lump to Lex's throat. Clark always seemed to believe that there would be a future with them. He wanted to share his friend's certainty about their destiny together, and when Clark was with him, he almost believed it. "We should go, Clark." 

"I--" 

"If we don't go now, Clark, I'm going to end up pushing you back on the bed and not letting you out of my sight for the rest of the weekend, which means you will totally miss the picnic, and I will be tarred and feathered for kidnapping you and thrown in jail for the next seven to ten." 

"--need to pack my new bag, and you need to get dressed," Clark finished after Lex's interruption. "Not that I have a problem with anything else you said." 

Lex laughed breathlessly as he turned to the closet. He felt Clark standing behind him, and took a half step back to collide with his lover. Clark's arms came around his waist, and Lex felt Clark's erection pressing into him. Lex leaned forward and pulled out a cream-colored shirt that matched the shorts and changed to a pair of white running shoes. "How's that?" 

"Much better. Don't forget your towel." Clark undulated his hips once against Lex's firm ass before stepping back to the bed and sweeping everything from the small bag into the new LuthorCorp bag that Lex had given him. He ran Lex's purple Speedo across his cheek then dropped that in the bag as well. He didn't zip it until Lex dropped a royal purple towel in as well. "Okay. We're ready to go." 

Lex flashed Clark a grin. "Which car do you want to drive?" 

"You're going to let me drive?" 

"Of course." 

Clark's eyes grew dazzlingly bright as he considered. "I want the Lamborghini." The sexiest car in Lex's garage. 

"She's all yours." Lex picked up his sunglasses from the dresser and tucked his wallet into his pocket. "Lead the way, Atticus." 

* * *

Lex had thought that he was a speed demon until driving with Clark. The scenery between the mansion and Chloe's house passed in a literal blur as the sleek 'Ghini twisted and danced around the curves and flew over the flat stretches. Lex half expected the car to sprout wings and lift off the roadway, but he leaned back in the seat and enjoyed it. It was rare he actually rode in one of his own cars instead of driving it, and the speed was entrancing. He snuck a look over at the speedometer and then wished that he hadn't as he saw the needle hovering around 110 MPH. 

"You might want to slow down, Clark." 

Clark didn't take his eyes off the road. "I'm not the one who ran off a bridge and had to have a bystander jump in and save his butt," he retorted hotly as he whipped around the corner. "Hold on to your ass--Suicide Stretch is coming up." 

Lex knew the curve well; he drove it every day he went to the Kents' home. But even he respected the road and dropped to double digits as he went around it. "Clark... this is really your first time driving a stick shift, and despite the lessons I gave you, I really don't think that it's a good idea for you to be taking something named Suicide Stretch in the triple digits." 

Clark was still watching the road with intense concentration. "Do you trust me, Lex?" 

"You know I do, Clark." 

"Then sit back and let me drive." Clark knew he could take the curve; his reflexes were ten times faster than Lex's, and despite his newness to the stick, the Lamborghini was shifting sweetly in his hand. Lex braced himself as the car approached the steep curve, and at the last possible second, Clark hit the brakes and the car dropped to 95 and hugged the outside of the turn. "Oh my God! That was _intense!_ " Clark screamed as the Lamborghini swung around the bottom of the stretch and back out to flat roadway. 

Lex was panting softly in the seat beside Clark, his heart pounding. "Okay. So that was good. But if you ever do that again, I will take away your keys and forbid you to touch my cars ever again. That was stupid, Clark, and that was dangerous. You could have killed both of us." 

Clark stopped the car in the middle of the deserted road, easing it off onto the shoulder before turning to look at Lex. "I'd never let anything happen to you, Lex." 

"You can't control the world, Clark." 

Not for the first time, Lex noticed Clark's spine stiffen, and a strange look come over his eyes, as though he was looking towards something that Lex couldn't see. "Maybe not, but I can protect the people who mean the most to me." 

The rest of the ride to Chloe's was spent in silence. 

* * *

Chloe was waiting as soon as Clark pulled the sportscar into the driveway. "Clark!! Did you bring the CD? Tell me you brought the CD." 

"I brought the CD." He rolled the windows down, and instead of raising the doors like wings, he merely slid out the window. Lex passed him the black duffel bag, and by the time Chloe got to the car, Clark was brandishing the CD in question. "Alice Cooper." 

"You're a lifesaver, Clark." 

"A lemon one." 

"Whatever," she said, taking off. "Can't have the opening ceremony without this!" she shouted over her shoulder, but neither man listened. 

Lex choked as he heard Clark say that. "You do know what lemon is, don't you, Clark?" 

Clark merely raised an eyebrow at Lex as he walked over to the passenger side of the car. Standing under the raised door of the Lamborghini, Clark leaned in and dared to steal a kiss. "Yes, I do... senpai." [[Master/mentor]] 

Lex's eyebrows rose again. "Bishounen," [[beautiful boy]] he countered quietly. 

"Hai," [[Yes.]] Clark replied, grinning. "Ouji." [[my Prince.]] 

"Hito wa mikake ni yoranu mono." [[Things aren't always what they seem.]] Lex smiled. "You're just full of surprises, Clark." 

"Yaoi is very educational." He winked at Lex as he stepped back enough to let his friend out of the car, and then dropped the keys in Lex's hand. As they walked together into the backyard, the Alice Cooper CD that Clark had brought to Chloe was blaring. 

School's out for summer  
School's out forever  
School's been blown to pieces 

No more pencils  
No more books  
No more teacher's dirty looks 

Well we got no class  
And we got no principles  
And we got no innocence  
We can't even think of a word that rhymes 

Out for summer  
Out till fall  
We might not go back at all 

School's out forever  
School's out for summer  
School's out with fever  
School's out completely 

Clark was surprised to hear Lex singing along under his breath. "Lex?" 

"You think this song is just for you guys? Every man and woman on this planet since the song was first released has had their first summer party to this song to celebrate their freedom." Lex whistled the tune softly as they walked into Chloe's backyard. A karaoke machine was set up on a makeshift stage. 

"WAIT! You can't come in yet!" Chloe stopped them at the gate. "You're not dressed to fit the theme!" 

"Theme?" Clark asked. 

"Hawaiian Escape," she confided. Then she pointed up to the banner that proclaimed the backyard as Hawaiian territory. "Nobody steps foot in here without the proper attire." 

Lex was almost afraid to ask, but then Pete came bounding up in a garish Hawaiian shirt and god-awful pink lei. "Join the fun, fellas." His arms were full of oversized Hawaiian shirts, and Chloe sorted through the stack. 

"Perfect." She pulled out a green and red-flowered shirt for Lex and handed Clark an orange and white one. "There. Put those on, and I'll get your leis." 

Lex looked at the shirt in his hand as though it were a dead animal carcass. "You can't seriously expect me to wear this." 

Clark was studying his with an almost identical expression. "Well... no, not _seriously,_ but come on. Everyone else is going to be looking like just as big an idiot as you are." 

Lex really wanted to argue the idiot label, but he couldn't. "You're going to pay for this, Clark-chan." Rolling his eyes, Lex peeled off his cream-colored t-shirt and with a shudder and a prayer to the gods of fashion, he let the monstrosity slide down his arms and over his head. He watched as Clark did the same, changing into the orange shirt that Chloe had bestowed on him. "We look like Hawaii Five-O rejects," Lex muttered. 

"Hey, at least I'm going to get to lei you," Clark grinned. 

"Say what?" 

"Lei you. You know, put the lei on." 

"Right." Lex chastised himself. _Mind out of the gutter, Luthor._

Pete came up with the two flower necklaces. Reaching up, he encircled Clark's head with the red one and snorted. "There. Always told you that you needed to get lei'd, man." 

"Pete!" Blushing, Clark grabbed the other lei out of Pete's hands. "Why don't you go sharpen your wits on Chloe or something!" 

"Yeah, yeah, you're just jealous cause I'm the man and you can't bring it." Pete sauntered away to find Chloe, and Clark rolled his eyes. 

Lex turned expectantly towards Clark as Clark dangled the purple lei over his head. "So lei me, farmboy." 

"I thought I had to wait to tonight to get you laid." 

"Not laid, Clark. Lei'd. Like the necklace." 

"You never let me have any fun." Clark dropped the necklace over Lex's head and settled it around his collar. "There. Now we've both gotten lei'd." 

"If you don't shut up--" 

"You're going to lay me?" 

Lex sighed. "This is going to be a long day." 

* * *

Whitney was lurking around the punch tub and waiting for it to clear. He checked the three bottles on the ground beside him, and as soon as everyone was looking elsewhere, he opened the first of the three bottles and poured it in. The second two followed, and when all three were empty, Whitney chucked the empty bottles in the recycling bin and snuck off to rejoin the rest of the party. 

* * *

Lionel breezed into Lex's office, only to find it deserted. A quick scan of the castle's security feeds showed Lex to be nowhere in sight, and the elder Luthor was quickly becoming angry. He kicked his feet up on Lex's desk, deciding to wait for the boy to come home, and his feet knocked Lex's calendar to the floor. Curiosity drove him to pick it up and examine it, and he threw it down in disgust when it showed their meeting marked _cancelled._ Underneath it in red was *Sullivan party, 11:00.* 

Furious at Lex for blowing off their meeting for a party with the small insects of Smallville, Lionel swept out of the house, coat billowing behind him as he headed out for the Sullivan residence. 

* * *

Chloe's gaze traveled around the group of people at her party, and her eyes lit on Clark. "Clark! You gotta help me get the karaoke going." 

"No. I will do anything else for you, Chloe, but I will not publicly humiliate myself." 

Lex snorted. "You should have thought about that before you put on that hideous shirt." 

"Okay, Chloe. Lex and I will help you out. We'll get things rolling for you." 

Lex glared at Clark. "I am not doing this." 

"Sure you are! It's easy! I'll pick out an easy song for you, and if you get lost, I'll help you out." 

"You know I'm going to kick your ass." 

Clark looked down at his groin, still hard from the teasing this morning but not nearly so painful as it had ebbed considerably. "Payback, my friend, is a bitch." Clark stuck his hands in his pockets as he strolled over to the karaoke machine and then carefully sorted through the songs until he found the right one. 

With complete ill grace, Lex took the stage and sat on the bar stool they'd provided in front of the monitor. Clark handed him the microphone. "What did you pick, farmboy?" 

"You'll see." 

"A little warning would be nice." The intro chords of Joy To The World started, and Lex growled softly at Clark as the mike clicked on and the words started scrolling on the screen. 

Jeremiah was a bullfrog  
Was a good friend of mine  
I never understood a single word he said But I helped him a-drink his wine  
And he always had some mighty fine wine Singin'... 

Joy to the world  
All the boys and girls now  
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me 

As soon as Lex had belted out the first line, everyone had clustered around the stage, clapping and helping him to sing along. All except for Clark, who was calmly sipping punch from a paper cup as he leaned against Chloe's fence. _I'm going to fucking kill him, that's all there is to it,_ Lex snarled silently to himself as he concentrated on singing. 

If I were the king of the world  
Tell you what I'd do  
I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war Make sweet love to you  
Sing it now... 

Joy to the world  
All the boys and girls  
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea Joy to you and me 

At "Make sweet love to you," Clark slid his hand down and rubbed his cock hard, thrusting his hips forward at Lex, who was shooting a deadly glare at him. He raised the paper cup full of fruit punch in a toast to his singing friend, and then smirked as Lex's eyes narrowed. 

Chloe was wandering through the crowd, and she saw Clark leaning in the shade against the fence. "Clark? How did you get Lex up there?" 

Clark's lips curved in a smile. "He owed me." 

"Well, thanks. Everybody's dying to try it now. Hey, you gotta put your name in the hat. Dad got this special duet CD, and we're going to draw names later to see who sings with whom." She grinned. "Maybe you'll get Lana." 

"Yeah, right." 

"Hey, tell Lex to make sure his name goes in there." 

"I'll take care of that, Chloe. I'll put his name in when mine goes in." 

"Okay, great. Thanks, Clark." She kissed his cheek and disappeared again. 

Clark still placidly sipped his punch. This might turn out to be fun after all. 

Lex finished the song and gladly surrendered the microphone and stool to the next willing participant. Clark was waiting for him with a full glass of punch, and Lex noticed that nearly everyone had cups in their hands. He couldn't blame them; it was getting hot and the punch was still cold, thanks to the sherbet rings. "Clark... you did that on purpose." 

Clark contrived to look innocent. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"Three. Dog. Night. Crotch grabbing. Fuck-me eyes. You are a deliberate, teasing little shit." 

Clark rolled his eyes. "You're calling _me_ a teasing little shit, Mr. Striptease?" 

"That was entirely--" 

"Evil?" 

"Different." 

"Like I said, payback's a bitch." Clark tapped Lex's cup with his own. "Cheers." 

"I hate you." 

"No you don't. I'm too adorable." Everyone was paying attention to Pete, who was grooving on stage to _I Will Always Love You,_ and Clark took the chance to step into Lex's space and grind his cock against Lex's thigh. 

Lex pushed back against Clark's erection before jumping back and realizing what he was doing. "Clark!" 

"You do realize that nobody can see us, thanks to this tree branch and the table," Clark pointed out. 

"Are you propositioning me, Clark?" 

Clark's look was entirely too innocent. "I'd never do such a thing. I'm just pointing out that it's a long time until tonight, and we've got a fairly secluded little spot here." 

Lex was growling again as he stepped back into Clark's space. "You're deliberately baiting me." 

"And what if I am?" 

Lex's palm pressed down hard against the head of Clark's cock. "Two can play the payback game, farmboy." 

Clark caught Lex's hand and kept it pressed there, rubbing gently against it. "And I win either way." 

Lex growled and jerked his hand away. "Have I said lately that I hate you?" 

"I believe you mentioned it, yes." 

Lex helped himself to a second cup of punch and concentrated on ignoring Clark. And it would have worked, except that Clark was looking at him, and Lex couldn't shake the feeling that Clark was in fact looking _through_ him. "I can feel you staring, Clark." 

"So what's your point?" 

Lex twisted around to look at Clark. "Feeling cocky today, aren't we?" Clark smirked and Lex instantly regretted his choice of words. 

"If I were feeling anyone's cocky, it'd be yours, Lex." 

"Clark... can you please get your mind out of my pants for five minutes?" 

"Why? It's happy there." 

Lex rolled his eyes. "Clark..." But his sentence was cut off by Chloe calling everyone around the stage. 

"Everybody, come on, gather around. You too, Clark, I know you're hiding behind the tree but you promised. So come on, and drag Lex with you." While they were coming out, she continued, "Okay. My dad got this great CD for the karaoke system, and it's all duets. Well, almost all. Anyway, everybody's going to need to put their names in the bowl here, and we'll draw out couples to do the songs." 

Lex balked. "No." 

"Yes." Clark wrote his name on one sheet of paper, and Lex's on another and dropped them both in the bowl. 

"Clark, I hate you. Really, truly, hate you." 

"You've said that before, and I'm still not believing it." Clark passed the bowl to Whitney, who added his name, and then it went the circuit. 

By this time, everyone was on his or her second or third cups of punch, and Lex noticed that the whole party seemed to be getting more relaxed. Even the adults were laughing and talking in their corner of the patio, and Jonathan Kent in particular seemed... relaxed. 

"Okay... our first couple is..." Chloe picked up the bowl and shook it, then withdrew two names. "Here we go. Our first lucky couple is... oh, this is going to be fun! Clark Kent and Lex Luthor!" There was a huge roar of clapping, shouts, and catcalls as Clark got on the stage, and then stepped back down to drag Lex up with him. They were forced to share the same stool but had separate microphones. "And the song is... _I've Got You Babe!_ by Sonny and Cher!" 

Clark looked over. "You do Sonny, and I'll do Cher. They should be marked Him and Her. You do the Him parts, I'll do the Her parts." 

"Your ass is mine, Atticus." 

Clark grinned. "I certainly hope so." 

"Fuck off," Lex griped as the music cued. 

CLARK: They say we're young and we don't know 

We won't find out until we're grown LEX: Well I don't know if all that's true 

'Cause you got me, and baby I got you 

* * *

Lionel Luthor slammed the door of the sedan as he stormed towards the backyard. The abysmal music was audible in the street, and he stalked angrily inside the fence, temper boiling as he saw Lex up on the stage, sitting practically in the Kent boy's lap while they sang some appalling rendition of a song better left unheard. 

* * *

Clark was rocking back and forth on his half of the stool, nudging Lex gently as they sang, trying to encourage his friend to have a good time with the song. He couldn't deny the warm feeling that blossomed inside him as he heard Lex singing to him. Cause you got me, and baby I got you. 

That feeling nearly shriveled when he looked up to see Lionel Luthor standing furiously in the middle of Chloe's yard. Lex's eyes were riveted on his father, the hand not holding the microphone unconsciously gripping Clark's thigh as they sang the chorus. 

* * *

LEX: Babe  
BOTH: I got you babe 

I got you babe 

CLARK: They say our love won't pay the rent 

Before it's earned, our money's all been spent LEX: I guess that's so, we don't have a pot 

But at least I'm sure of all the things we got 

* * *

Lionel was seething, and Gabe Sullivan was talking hurriedly to Jonathan Kent. Finally, after a few moments, Jonathan nodded to Sullivan and headed over to Lionel, positioning himself between Lionel and the stage. "Either sit down and act like a normal human or get out, because you're not welcome here if you're going to cause a scene." Jonathan thrust a cup of the Hawaiian punch into Lionel's hand and glared at him, daring him to make a scene in front of everyone. 

* * *

Clark had to laugh at the idea of Lex having nothing but a pot to piss in. That was so completely unlikely. 

Lex was feeling warm inside as well, feeling Clark's body pressing close to his and his mellow voice serenading him with words of love. 

* * *

LEX: Babe  
BOTH: I got you babe 

I got you babe 

LEX: I got flowers in the spring 

I got you to wear my ring  
CLARK: And when I'm sad, you're a clown 

And if I get scared, you're always around 

* * *

Lionel glared back at Jonathan Kent, who refused to back down. Finally, grudgingly, Lionel raised the cup to his lips and drank down the cool beverage in one gulp. "I came to talk to Lex," he hissed. 

"He's a little busy right now; you'll just have to wait." 

Lionel growled at Jonathan, but the man had always been the only person in Smallville that he'd never been able to bully. 

* * *

Lex's throat nearly closed on his line. And I've got you, to wear my ring. Things were hitting a little too close to home for Lex's comfort, but he couldn't totally deny it, either. It truly was too close to home. 

Clark's hand rested close to Lex's, and when he sang you're always around, he squeezed Lex's hand gently, as though telling his friend that Clark knew Lex was always there when he was needed. 

* * *

CLARK: Don't let them say your hair's too long 

'Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong LEX: Then put your little hand in mine 

There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb 

LEX: Babe  
BOTH: I got you babe 

I got you babe 

* * *

Jonathan kept Lionel's cup full, as it seemed to be the only thing he was willing to do, sitting and drinking while glaring at his son and Clark. He was into his third cup and Jonathan was still steadily refilling it. Martha smiled gratefully at him for taking the terrifying tycoon in hand and controlling the situation before it spiraled out of control. 

* * *

Lex raised his hand and ran it over his bald scalp when Clark sang Don't let them say your hair's too long, and that won a huge grin from his partner. He was actually getting into the whole song thing, and it seemed natural for him to hold out his hand for Clark's and he couldn't quite name the feeling he had when Clark took it reverently. 

* * *

LEX: I got you to hold my hand  
CLARK: I got you to understand  
LEX: I got you to walk with me  
CLARK: I got you to talk with me 
    
    
          I got you to kiss goodnight
          I got you to hold me tight
          I got you, I won't let go
          I got you to love me so
    

* * *

Clark's grip on Lex's hand tightened as he sang his next part. Thoughts and feelings had been shifting in his mind ever since the song began, and only now did things click into place for him. He didn't just want to fuck Lex, he wanted to hold him and touch him, kiss him and caress him, sleep with him and wake up with him. He loved Lex. 

* * *

Lionel was starting to relax slightly. He'd thrown off his overcoat and his suit jacket, an occurrence that nobody could ever remember before. He donned his sunglasses and leaned against the fence, running his fingers through his hair and lifting it to let the breeze cool his neck. "Thank you," he said when Jonathan pushed the next refill into his hand, and the Kent patriarch nearly fainted. 

"You're welcome." 

* * *

Lex was watching Clark as he finished his lines, and he wondered what had suddenly caused his partner's eyes to silver over. He swore silently to himself that whatever it was he'd fix it, and then Clark turned to look at him and smiled widely, and Lex found himself returning it as fiery sparks seemed to dance along his skin. Listening to Clark's voice, he wanted to protect his beautiful boy from everything. 

* * *

BOTH: I got you babe 
    
    
          I got you babe
          I got you babe
          I got you babe
          I got you babe  
    

* * *

As their finale ended, there was a thunderous storm of applause for the two boys, and Martha met them at the stage with fresh cups of punch. Clark was reluctant to let go of Lex's hand, and the bald man squeezed Clark's hand once in reassurance before gently disentangling their fingers and taking both cups. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent. And I'm sorry. I didn't know my father was going to show up here." 

Martha looked back over at Lionel. "Well, he seems to be in a better mood than when he came in, though I can't ever remember him looking so relaxed. Jonathan's been keeping an eye on things." 

Lex sighed and passed his cup back to Clark. "Guess I'd better go and face the dragon." 

Clark set both cups in the grass. "I'll go with you." His mulish expression told Lex that refusal was not an option. 

"I'll make it as quick as I can." Lex stiffened as he got closer to his father, and the only thing that kept him from going into cold Luthor mode was Clark's presence behind him. "What do you want, Dad?" 

"Those Triptych papers needed to be signed, Lex, but that's quite all right. Gave me an excuse to show up at this charming little celebration." 

_Okay, where is my father and what have you done with him?_ was Lex's first thought. His second was, _Whatever it was you can keep him. With my compliments._ "Charming little celebration? Dad, get out. You're not wanted here, and I won't have you ruining everyone's good time." 

Lionel's arm swept around in a circle, nearly spilling his punch. "Look around you, son. Everyone's parents are here but yours, and now I grace you with my presence and--" 

"Here, why don't you have something else to drink? Lex... can I talk to you for a minute?" interrupted Jonathan, pulling Lex off to the side. "Look, I don't know what the deal is, but your father is behaving himself right now, and I don't want you causing a scene and making this whole party blow up, you hear me?" 

Lex bristled. How dare this pompous bastard presume to dictate to him after the constant snubbing and lack of respect that he suffered through on a daily basis from this man? "Mr. Kent, I mean no disrespect--" 

"Can the bullshit, Lex. You don't like me dictating to you any better than I like you hanging around my son, but we're both in situations where we have to suck it up and do what's best. And what's best is for you to ignore your father and let the rest of us grown ups handle him." 

Clark felt the tension between Lex and his father, and turned Lionel over to his mother as he darted over between them. "Dad? Lex?" 

"Hey, son." Jonathan clapped his son around the shoulder. "Why don't you take your little friend back over there and try singing again." 

"Dad, don't talk about Lex like that!" Clark said, mortified. 

Lex put his hand on Clark's back. "Come on, Clark. Let's just go." 

"Yeah, okay. Hang on." Clark picked up one of the empty plastic juice bottles, and filled it with punch from the tub. Then he picked up two glasses and their duffel bag. "Okay. Let's go." Clark headed for the huge tree he'd been sitting under before, but instead of sitting on the grass, Clark gripped the low branch and swung himself up into the tree. "Come on up," he said, holding his hand out to Lex. He pulled his friend up, and pointed. About six feet above them was a treehouse. "We haven't been here in two years, but it's a great place to hang out." 

"A tree house... why am I not surprised. Clark, is there any childhood clich that you didn't live through?" Lex easily followed Clark, and soon they were ensconced snugly in the tree house. 

"Well... come to think of it... I never had a puppy." 

"You live on a farm. You have other animals." 

"Yeah, but they're not pets." He screwed the lid off the bottle and took a drink, and then passed it over to Lex. "Burgers and dogs will be ready later, and we can eat up here." 

"I had a pet once." 

Clark turned his full attention to Lex, resting his hand on Lex's knee. "I have to know. What kind of pet did Lex Luthor have?" 

"A bat. It was a gift from Bruce." 

"A bat?" 

"Yes, a bat. From Bruce Wayne." 

"Wayne? Wayne Enterprises' Bruce Wayne?" 

Lex smiled. "My prep school roommate. He saw that they terrified the hell out of me, and so he caught one, gave it the proper shots, put it in a cage, and gave it to me. I took care of it for almost three years, until I let it go. By that time, I wasn't afraid of it any more." 

"Okay. My best friend has bats in his belfry." He ducked the slap that Lex aimed at him. "Okay, okay, sorry. You don't have bats in the belfry." 

"Thank you." He took the bottle from Clark and drank, listening to the singing. "My God, who the hell is that? Can't carry a tune in a tin bucket." 

Clark cringed. "Um, yeah, that's be Chloe. And she's belting out Meatloaf. The girl is a total Meatloaf freak." He listened. "Christ, she's got Whitney up there with her. I'd know his voice anywhere." 

"We got off easy." 

Clark looked down at himself and then over at Lex. "Speak for yourself, Lex. I haven't got off at all." 

Lex raised his eyebrow challengingly. "And what's stopping you?" 

For a moment, Lex thought that he'd called Clark's bluff, but that was before the boy straightened from his slouch against the wall. His fingers worked the buttons and zippers on the cutoff shorts, and he caught Lex's eyes as he pulled his cock out. His cock was hard, and he wrapped his hand around the uncut length and started to stroke. Neither boy noted the cessation of the song, or the beginning of the next piece, nor the accompanying commotion. 

"Clark!!" 

Both boys swore as Martha's voice reached them all the way up in the treehouse. Clark swore again as he tried to stuff his cock back into his shorts. Lex leaned forward to hide Clark as he stuck his head down the trapdoor. "We're up here, Mrs. Kent!" 

"Oh, thank God!" By the time Martha had made it to the top of the ladder and her head emerged into the treehouse, Clark was tucked away again, and was sipping lukewarm punch. "Lex... you've got to get down here, right now, it's your father." 

"If he's dying, throw his body over the fence." 

"Lex!!" Martha actually sounded... half amused. "Your father is about to embarrass himself." 

"You're right. I don't want to miss that." 

Clark followed Lex down out of the treehouse, and as soon as his feet hit the ground, he looked at his friend. "I know that song. That's _I'm Too Sexy._ " 

* * *

Five minutes earlier

"Those poor little children, slaughtering that song." Lionel had gone so far as to almost completely unbutton his shirt and roll the sleeves up to his biceps. He had lost count of the number of cups of punch he'd consumed, knowing only that it had exceeded double digits about eight cups ago and he seriously needed to urinate. "I tell you what, Jonathan. I'm going to use the bathroom, and then when I get back, we'll show them how it's done." 

Jonathan gaped after Lionel as he wove through the crowd, bobbing slightly to avoid running into anyone, and then shook his head as Lionel disappeared into the house. "Go and find Clark," Jonathan told Martha. "And get Lex. Maybe he can stop whatever his father has in mind." 

* * *

It didn't take Lionel long to use the restroom and reappear behind the stage, dialing through the karaoke CD until he found the song title that appealed to him, having heard it blaring from Lex's room over and over again. "Jonathan!" he shouted, as the music wound up. 

Every head in the party swiveled towards the stage first, and then towards Jonathan Kent and then back again. "Lionel, I think maybe we should let the kids have fun with this." Anything to get the businessman off stage. 

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. If our children can do it together, then we most certainly can." He threw one of the wireless microphones at Jonathan, who caught it reflexively. "Admittedly it's not a duet, but I'm sure there's enough for the both of us." 

Lex dropped out of the tree at that. "Oh. My. God." 

Clark was standing directly behind Lex when he saw his own father mounting the stage. "Lex... do something." 

Lex snickered. "I am doing something. I'm laughing my ass off at my father." 

"And mine!!" Clark rocked on his heels. 

Clark looked to where Gabe Sullivan was changing the tape on the camcorder, apparently unaware of what was happening. "Remind me to give Sullivan a huge summer bonus." 

"Lex!" 

"Relax, Clark, it's a party. One that I thoroughly intend to enjoy." 

"Lex!!" Clark's voice was getting incrementally more hysterical. 

Lex listened as the beat for the first few lines came and went with no singing, and maybe that was a good thing, because Lex had had this scene in his mind where Lionel, belting out the fact that he was too sexy for his shirt, had ripped the shirt off and sent it sailing across the yard to land at his son's feet. He truly didn't think he could bear to watch that. 

Then, as Jonathan Kent was finally dragged by force onto the stage by Lionel, Lex leaned back against the tree. This was promising to be utterly fucking hysterical. 

And I'm too sexy for Milan too sexy for Milan New York and Japan   
And I'm too sexy for your party   
Too sexy for your party   
No way I'm disco dancing 

The few people in the yard who hadn't been paying attention to the makeshift karaoke stage dropped everything they'd been doing and turned around when Lionel belted out the first few lines of the song. 

Lionel was having the time of his life. His shirt had fallen the rest of the way open in the struggle to drag Jonathan bodily on stage, and he shrugged out of it and tossed it to the side as he moved around Jonathan, gyrating in a simulation of disco movements to the lightly techno beat of the music. The hand not holding the microphone dropped to Jonathan's side, forcing the blond man to move with him, hips thrusting and grinding together. 

Lex couldn't pull his eyes away from his father on the stage. His impulse was to drop to the grass and roll as tears streamed from his eyes, but somehow, the fact that his _father_ was up there _dancing_ was oddly hypnotic, and his face was comically blank. He did manage to sneak a look to Clark, who seemed frozen in place, eyes riveted on the stage as he watched Lionel and his father. Lex tried to call out to Clark, but found he couldn't bring himself to interrupt Lionel's performance. 

I'm a model you know what I mean   
And I do my little turn on the catwalk Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah I do my little turn on the catwalk 

Lex knew that his father could walk, saunter, lope, and strut, but until this moment, he didn't know his father could move his body in such a way that made it seem like his bones had gone fluid as he... well, the closest word that Lex could find was _sashayed_ across the stage instead of the model's catwalk. His knees were tucked in, ass held up high, his thighs clenched, and Lex idly found himself wondering if Lionel's dick had gotten tucked safely out of the way or if it and his balls were dying in the tight squeeze between his thighs. Apparently, there were quite a few things about his father that Lex didn't know. 

I'm too sexy for my car too sexy for my car Too sexy by far   
And I'm too sexy for my hat   
Too sexy for my hat what do you think about that 

Jonathan Kent was still standing woodenly on stage as Lionel... Lex hated to keep using "belted out" but that was exactly what his father was doing. At the top of his lungs. At one point, the elder Luthor got behind Jonathan, free hand coming around him as though grabbing an imaginary steering wheel, and then during another verse running his fingers through his hair as though searching for an imaginary hat as the song wound down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clark snapping into motion and sighed when the boy ended up at his side. 

"Lex! Look at your father!!" Lex was forced to admit, his father obviously kept in shape. The sweat was rolling off the older man in waves, and Lex felt Clark's hand in the middle of his back. "Go and get them off stage!" Clark hissed desperately. "Your father is embarrassing my father!" 

"My father is embarrassing _himself,_ " Lex pointed out, but strolled over to the stage anyway, whistling as he collected a cup of punch from a stunned Chloe. "Enjoy yourself, Dad?" 

Lionel looked up from where he was mopping his face and bare chest with his shirt. "I did, I did, I had quite a wonderful time. Ah, thank you, son." Lionel reached for the plastic cup and drank down the punch in two swallows. "I can see why you came to this little get-together, it's quite... a refreshing change of pace." 

"Dad... if I sign those papers, will you leave?" Lex took the cup and crumpled it, aiming for the nearest trash can. "Now?" 

"Why would I think about leaving? Oh, thank you, young lady." Chloe had brought more cups of punch, and Lionel had taken one, and so had Jonathan. Lex shook his head; the sickly sweet beverage was not to his taste and he'd drunk about as much as he could stomach. "Go and play with your friends, Lex," Lionel said, nodding at Clark as the boy came up. "I think I can manage to find my own entertainment." 

Lex bristled at the casual dismissal, but let Clark haul him away. "Clark... what's your problem?" 

"You were about to say something mean; I could see it. I want your dad gone, too, but it's not worth making a scene at Chloe's party. Come on, let's just go cool off." 

"Cool off?" Lex questioned as he let Clark drag him back to the tree. 

"Yeah. Go swimming. Whitney's already getting the pool unlocked, and Lana's helping Pete get the pump turned on and the floats out." 

Lex looked over the low fence that separated the Sullivan yard from that of their neighbor and was surprised to see Whitney bending over and listening intently to something that Chloe was saying. Too close to be casual, Lex elbowed Clark. "That's not all Whitney is doing." 

Clark followed Lex's gaze and settled on Whitney invading Chloe's personal space and Chloe beaming brightly. "Well, I'll be screwed." 

"Not yet, but just hold that thought." Lex smiled wickedly. 

"There's really other things that I want to be holding right now." Clark stepped in close to Lex and pushed Lex back against the tree as he reached around to squeeze Lex's ass. "Like this." Then he slipped one hand from Lex's ass to squeeze his cock. "And this." 

Lex was glad of the concealment of the tree branches and the tables. "Get your ass up in the tree, farmboy. I want my swimsuit." 

"We can go in the house and change." Clark pulled himself up to the small wooden shack and dropped the bag down. "Catch!" Lex caught the bag as it pelted down at him, and then stepped aside as Clark dropped down out of the tree. "Do you know what I saw up there, Lex?" 

"Tree leaves?" 

"Jerk. No, man. I saw..." Clark blushed, hating to be a gossip. "I saw Lana and Pete making out behind the fence." 

"Well now, isn't that interesting. I don't care who is making out with whom so long as it's you and me, Clark." 

Clark licked his lips, which had suddenly gone dry at the thought of making out with Lex. "You're going to kill me, Lex. Death by slow torture." 

Lex's grin was all sharp, shiny teeth. "Let's go change. I want to swim." 

Clark led the way into the Sullivan house and into the nearest bathroom. He pushed Lex in and almost had the door shut before Lex's hand shot out through the crack and locked around Clark's wrist. "Get your ass in here, farmboy, and preferably the rest of you too." Clark stumbled over the threshold, and then Lex slammed the door and locked it. "Strip, Clark. Out of that ridiculous shirt. Now." Clark instinctively didn't argue with Lex as he stripped off the shirt and stood bare-chested in front of Lex. "Everything, Clark. Cutoffs too. Underwear. Naked. Now." 

Hastily Clark stripped, tossing his clothes onto the sink and reaching into the bag for his swim trunks. Being naked in front of a fully clothed Lex was making his already hard cock twitch. Despite his earlier flirting and his bold attempt to jack off for Lex in the treehouse, this situation was entirely different, and he was... not scared, but timid. 

Lex picked up on that immediately. "Clark... look at me. Watch me." In quick, efficient movements, Lex stripped off his own Hawaiian shirt and shorts, pushing down his briefs to reveal his own hardness and kicking them to the side with Clark's clothes. He took two steps forward, settling Clark against the door as he kissed the young man. His tongue pressed Clark's lips open, and he sighed in contentment as Clark's hands came to rest on his ass, gently kneading. Lex rocked forward once, rubbing their hard cocks together, and he swallowed Clark's moan at the contact. He broke the kiss and put his hand over Clark's mouth. "Sssh... be quiet." Sliding his hands down Clark's chest, Lex slid gracefully to his knees, and his tongue flicked out to lick the dripping head of Clark's cock. His tongue caught the slick drops of precum, and he looked up to see Clark biting hard on the heel of his hand. 

Just as Lex opened his mouth to take Clark down, there came a pounding at the door. "Clark? You in there, son?" 

"Dad?" Clark's voice was strangled. "Um... what do you want?" 

"Looking for you, Clark. Everyone else is heading out to the pool; you okay in there?" 

Clark looked down at Lex, who had his face buried in Clark's thigh. "Fine, Dad. Just changing into my swim trunks." 

"You know where Lex is? Nobody can seem to find him." 

Lex's teeth sunk into Clark's leg. "He's upstairs changing; I'll go and get him in just a minute, Dad. Thanks." 

"Okay, son. See you outside." Clark half turned and x-rayed the door, watching his father step through the sliding glass door and onto the patio. 

"Oh, my God," Clark breathed as Lex's entire body shook. Clark pulled the bald man back, and Lex was shaking with laughter. "I hate you, Lex. And I am never, ever, going to get rid of this!" he said, pointing at his crotch. 

Lex reached down and petted Clark's cock gently as he handed the boy his red swim trunks. "You'll get used to it, Clark. I know I did." He turned his back to Clark to reach into the bag for his swimsuit, and he found himself pulled back against Clark. The length of the boy's hard cock burned against his ass as Clark growled. 

"I don't _want_ to get used to it! I don't want to walk around with my dick poking my shorts out six feet in front of me!" He rubbed hard against Lex's ass, moaning softly. 

Lex pushed back, rubbing his ass against Clark. "You're not... quite that... well endowed... farm boy." Clark moaned again as his cock slipped between Lex's cheeks. Lex squeezed once and then stepped away. "Dressed. Now. Before your father comes back." 

"Hey, Lex? Does the word _cocktease_ ring any bells?" Lex merely smirked at his tortured young friend. "You're getting off on this," Clark accused. "You're _enjoying_ torturing me." Clark was snarling, hating to admit that Lex was right. Still, though, the prospect of slamming Lex against the wall and humping his ass was becoming more and more attractive as the seconds ticked by, especially when his ass was naked and flexing in front of Clark. 

"Maybe. Or maybe you're just hormonally overactive and sexually frustrated because you haven't gotten off in..." Lex paused to check his watch and do an instant calculation "...four hours." 

"Yeah, well, it's not for lack of _trying,_ " Clark pointed out as he dressed, reaching inside the swim trunks and trying desperately to adjust himself. 

"You see, this is why you need to wear these," Lex said, dangling his purple Speedo in front of Clark. "Tightly fits your body and gives you the support you need to tuck things away." 

Clark nearly ripped the skimpy suit out of Lex's hand and shredded it. "I've got your support _right_ here." 

"You know, Clark, you're grouchy when you don't get laid." Lex smirked as he slid first one leg and then the other into the purple swimsuit and then pulled it up. 

"Oh, fuck _you_ very much." Lex was right; Clark was frustrated. He rarely ever cursed. 

"Later, Clark. Later." Lex flashed another grin as he finished his own adjustments. "There. How do I look?" 

In Clark's current state, fuckable was the first word that came to mind. All of Lex was exposed, and the next word that flicked through Clark's thoughts was vulnerable, then it was followed by beautiful and exquisite. "Delicious," Clark said throatily, and he pulled Lex to him for a hungry kiss. Lex gave it gladly, letting Clark's tongue taste and delve as long as the boy wanted, hands going to cradle Clark's head. "Lex..." Lex was here for him. For Clark. Because Clark asked. And Lex was kissing him. In the too small bathroom, bodies pressed together, Lex was kissing him. Lex was opening himself to Clark, making himself vulnerable to Clark, and the young man was overwhelmed. 

"Mmm?" Lex was pressing whisper light kisses along Clark's throat. 

"Lex, I... you are... just thanks." Clark changed direction in mid-sentence. "Thanks for coming. To the party, I mean. I know you've probably got better things to do with your time, but... it means a lot to me that you'd change your plans just so we could hang out together." 

Lex made a contented noise against Clark's throat. "You're worth it, Clark. Even if I did have to sing karaoke." He brought his hand down Clark's shoulder, letting it rest over where Clark's heart beat strongly. He felt three strong pulses and then a long pause and three more pulses, but said nothing to Clark as he looked up, a question in his eyes. Clark's eyes raised from where Lex's hand touched him, and he nodded silently. It was not quite an answer to the question Lex hadn't asked. "Clark?" A hundred more unspoken questions. 

"Yes." Not a denial, not anything but the truth. Yes, to all the questions Lex had just asked with the simple inflections of his name. 

"When were you going to tell me?" Anger boiling, kept quietly in check by Clark's skin trembling under his touch. Clark's fear touched Lex, and it was easy to keep a reign on the anger even as it boiled because of the lies. All the lies about who Clark really was. 

"T-tonight," Clark whispered softly, voice breaking slightly. "When we could be... alone." Clark swallowed hard, unable to stop his body from shaking. "You would be--are--the only other person to know. Me and Mom and Dad. And now you." Clark's voice was still barely above a whisper, and his hands had dropped from Lex's shoulders. 

Lex wanted the warm touch back on his skin even as he couldn't shake the anger over the fact that Clark had lied to him for so long, about so many things. His brain whirred with all the possibilities, his hands touched of their own accord, and his feelings... he didn't know what they were now, other than jumbled beneath the surface. He watched Clark take a step back, and the withdrawal was almost physically painful as his hand fell away from the boy's chest. "Clark--" 

"It's okay, Lex." Clark took another step back, his heart breaking as he pressed himself against the door. "I knew--should have known--that this would hurt you. I just... hoped it would be okay, that you'd find a way to make it all okay like you always do." His hand rested on the door knob. "We better get outside before they come looking for us again." He opened the door, and Lex moved quickly, reaching around Clark's shoulder to slam the door shut again. 

"Fucking listen to me, Clark, all right?" He resisted the urge to thump the boy back against the door. The sight of Clark cringing from him was enough to stop that thought in its tracks. "Yes, I'm angry. I think I have a right to be. I have been honest with you--at times, painfully honest with you--and you know... you know what that costs me, Clark. You know me, you know who I _am_ well enough by now to _know_ what it takes for me to be honest with you. And I thought you were being honest with me. And when you came over this morning and you kissed me, my thought was... my God, I've been rewarded. That someone is showing me the way, as corny as that sounds." He let his hands rest firmly on Clark's arms. "Then this. And you've been lying since the day we met. One thing, but so many little lies to cover it up." He squeezed Clark's biceps when he felt the boy trying to twist and bolt away. "I can't handle you lying to me, Clark, but I won't have you scared of me either." 

"I'm not scared of you, Lex... I'm scared of losing you." Clark's hands came up to cover Lex's. "I knew... the longer it went, the harder it would be to tell you the truth, and then... I... I didn't want to lose you. And I was afraid. That I would, you know. Because of this. Lies. Hiding stuff. Hiding who--what--I am." 

Lex shook his head. "Can you be honest with me, Clark? Can you look at me now and tell me that you will be straightforward with me from now on?" He moved one hand to catch Clark's chin and force the boy to look at him. 

"I can, Lex. I will be. You mean so much to me... I can't risk losing you." Clark's eyes were wide, and he had no idea what Lex was reading in them as the other man stared so deeply into him. 

Lex sighed and dropped his hands from Clark's arms. "Then I expect to hear the full story tonight, Clark." He cursed himself as he felt himself reacting to the heartfelt fear in Clark's green eyes. He wrapped the boy in his arms and held him tightly. "We'll get through it. I will find a way to make it right." 

Clark's face was muffled in Lex's shoulder, but the words came through loud and clear, though the bald man was sure Clark hadn't meant them to. "I love you, Lex." 

* * *

Whitney knew he was drunk, and he didn't care. He knew Chloe was drunk, too, and he didn't really care about that either as he leaned across and kissed her, cutting her sentence off in midstream. 

Chloe was startled at first but leaned into Whitney's kiss, and then as he pulled away, she was smiling widely from ear to ear. "Wow," was all she said. 

Whitney returned the smile as he settled onto the deck beside Chloe, stretching out on the beach towel she'd spread out. "I'm going to have to try that more often." 

* * *

"There you go." Pete finished tying the strings of Lana's bikini at the back of her neck as she braided her hair and twisted the braid into a bun on the back of her head. 

"Thanks, Pete. You're a great guy; I don't know where Whitney, is but you really helped me out." 

Funny how Lana could make changing clothes sound like a life or death situation. 

"No problem, girl. If he ain't bright enough to keep close to you, then I'm glad to be able to step up and help out." Pete grinned as Lana smiled at him over her shoulder. 

"You want to help me with one more thing, Pete?" 

"I'm here for you, Lana." He couldn't help the salacious grin. 

Lana giggled. "How do I look?" She pirouetted in front of him, deliberately stumbling so that Pete caught her. "Clumsy me." Slightly forward because of the spiked punch, she pressed herself along Pete's hard contours and lightly flicked her nails over his hair as she kissed him softly. 

* * *

By the time Clark and Lex emerged from the house, everyone else was lounging by the pool except for Gabe Sullivan and Clark's parents. They were helping Gabe cook the hot dogs and the hamburgers, and Lex shook his head. "This isn't good. My father isn't with your father." 

Jonathan looked up and saw the boys. "There you are! Thought you'd gotten lost, son!" 

"No, I was just helping Lex put on sunscreen." 

"Good idea, Clark. Fair skin always burns so easily," Martha chimed in. 

Lex's smile was slightly brittle as the Kents discussed him. "Excuse me... have you seen my father?" 

Jonathan hooked a thumb towards the fence. "He's in the pool." 

Lex stopped in his tracks and turned around to stare at Jonathan. "He's... in the pool?" 

"Yep," Jonathan answered, flipping several of the hamburger patties as he spoke. "Just stay out of his way, son. I don't want to have to come over there and break up a fight." 

Jonathan Kent had just called Lex Luthor "son." Lex raised his eye to the skies, expecting a bolt of lightning to descend from the heavens and strike him dead. When nothing was forthcoming, he looked down, checking to make sure that the ground was still solid. "Somewhere, Hell has just frozen over," Lex whispered to Clark. His anger at the boy still simmered in the back of his mind, but Lex was good at compartmentalizing. He wouldn't let it get in the way of enjoying his time with Clark today. 

Clark snickered as relief flooded through him. Lex was going to be okay with them. For a while anyway. He let Lex pull him over towards the fence, and then stopped short as he just... stared. 

Chloe and Whitney shared a beach towel as Chloe in her yellow and black bathing suit oiled Whitney's chest and shoulders. Lana on a pink raft, splashing Pete who was trying to capsize her. Lionel was reclining on the deck, stripped of everything except a pair of black lycra briefs, his lounge chair almost flat, a towel folded under his head as a pillow as his sunglasses perched on his nose. "Um... um... Lex... did we... like step into some Twilight Zone alternate universe thing?" He knew it was a hallucination; it was the lack of blood to his head. 

The tin tub had been carried over to the pool deck, and Clark headed straight for it. He poured himself another cup and downed it, then offered one to Lex. 

"No, thanks. I've had about as much of that as I can stomach." Lex dropped the black bag into the shade beside the tin tub and leaned against the railing. "Go ahead, Clark." A part of Lex was betting that Clark wouldn't use the ladder to get into the pool. 

And he was right. Clark grinned at Lex, walked to the side of the pool, ran the last three steps to the side, and cannonballed himself into the clear, cool water. The resulting tidal wave succeeded in capsizing Lana's raft and spilling her into Pete's waiting arms as well as lapping over the sides and splashing Lex, Chloe, and even Whitney. 

Chloe squealed--a sound that Lex had never heard come out of her mouth before and never expected to--as the cold pool water sizzled against her skin, and Whitney laughed as he picked her up and tossed her into the pool. Clark was surfacing, and he instinctively caught Chloe as he came up, then toppled backwards with her. Whitney dove in after them, leaving Lex staring in bafflement. "Has everyone taken leave of their senses?" he muttered. 

"They're just having a good time, Lex." 

Lex's head whipped around to look at Lionel, who had not moved a muscle as he spoke. "Having a good time? And you'd know this how, seeing as how you wrote the book on how _not_ to have a good time." 

Lionel made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Go have fun, Lex." 

"Dad... if you're trying to make me think I'm losing my mind, don't you think this is a little extreme?" 

"Not everything in this world is about you, son." Lionel turned his head so that he looked at his son. "Sometimes it's just about letting go when the opportunity strikes." 

Lex stalked towards his father, surprised to find his way blocked by six feet of wet farmboy after he'd taken only a few steps. "Lex... time to get in the pool." 

"Get out of my way, Clark. I'm going to take care of a little problem." 

"You're not going to kill your father on my watch. Lex... don't make me pick you up and throw you in." 

That stopped the bald man in his tracks. "You wouldn't." 

"Uh huh. Try me." 

"Clark... this is not the time. I'm going to have a little... talk with Lionel." He sidestepped Clark and headed towards his father. Got one step before one large hand clamped on his shoulder and the other on his hip. "Clark, let me go. Now." Lex felt himself being dragged over to the poolside. "Clark, if you do this, you know I'm going to have to kill you later." The hand on Lex's hip moved to the back of his swimsuit, and the hand on his shoulder moved to the back of his neck. Lex had just enough time to take a deep breath before Clark pushed, and Lex was sailing through the air, landing in the pool with an undignified splash. He surfaced, spluttering, and found Clark smirking on the pool deck. "That's right, farmboy. Smirk up there where I can't get to you. You step foot in this pool, and your ass is _mine!_ " Lex snarled as he wiped water out of his face. 

Clark walked to the edge of the pool and dangled his foot in the water. Lex lunged forward, grabbing Clark's ankle and jerking the young man into the pool with them. Clark twisted into an awkward flip, landing ass first in the water, and then Lex was on top of him, pushing him down under the water. "Say uncle, Clark!" 

Clark's hand emerged from the water, middle finger raised. 

Lex growled and jerked Clark above water as he sputtered, and then dunked him again. And again. And once more for good measure before letting Clark go. Clark lazily splashed Lex as he turned onto his back and floated, soaking in the sun. Lex watched as the water settled and the girls climbed back on pool floats. Whitney stayed close to Chloe, propelling her around the pool and laughing at whatever comment she'd made. Lex watched Clark just floating aimlessly, and he shook his head. He paddled over to Clark, ducking Chloe, Pete, and Lana, and splashed water onto Clark's stomach. 

He hissed, but didn't turn over. "Lex." 

"You look comfortable." 

"I love the sun," Clark said, eyes closed. "I love just soaking it up. I always feel so... energized later." 

"Never would have thought of you as the sun worshipper type, Clark." Lex eyed Clark's tanned skin. "Though that doesn't surprise me. At all." 

"When you work out in it as much as I do... you get used to it." Clark stretched, causing the water to ripple invitingly around him as Lex hovered close to him in the water. Clark turned his head to find Lex so close to him. "I love you, Lex." Clark whispered softly. He knew that Lex had heard him before, but wanted to take the chance now, like this, when everything was warm and lazy. "I know you can't say it, and it's okay. I can tell you do, cause of the way you act." 

Lex dared to lean over and press a quick kiss to Clark's mouth. He rested his hand on Clark's chest, over the rapidly thumping alien heart. "Clark." 

"I know." Clark turned in the pool, seeing nearly everyone now, except for himself and Lex, on pool floats. The only lounger left was a two-person float, and Clark nodded towards it. "Wanna give it a try?" 

"Absolutely." Lex's grin was wicked as he watched Clark tow the huge silver raft over to the center of the pool and boost himself easily onto it. 

"Okay, come on, Lex." Clark patted the raft beside him. "Upsy-daisy." 

"Thank God I don't sunburn." 

"You don't sunburn?" 

"I haven't since the meteor shower," Lex said, boosting himself up. He promptly slid over against Clark, the bigger boy's weight tipping the raft that way. Lex deliberately shifted his own weight to even them out, and then relaxed onto the headrest. "God, this is nice." 

The radio was pouring out some alternative rock song in the background, and Lex closed his eyes as he got used to Clark's warmth beside him and the sun beating down on him from above. The station format changed from alternative to retro, and Lex found himself humming along with one of the songs. 

Listen up everybody if you wanna take a chance Just get on the floor and do the New Kids' dance Don't worry 'bout nothin' 'cuz it won't take long We're gonna put you in a trance with a funky song 

"Lex???" 

"Mmm?" He wasn't paying a bit of attention until he mentally reviewed the lyrics. 

"You're a New Kids On The Block fan?" Clark's voice sounded completely incredulous. 

"I wouldn't say a fan, exactly," Lex hedged. "I do know their songs." 

"Um... dare I ask?" 

"No." He offered a half-grin. "I was young and impressionable during the whole New Kids craze. I was... thirteen, I believe." 

Clark whistled softly. "That's old enough to know better." 

Lex snorted. "That was old enough to choose a type of music that I knew would piss my father off no end, and having the offspring of his manly loins listening to a group composed entirely of gay Bostonians had to count for some of those gray hairs." 

"But Lex... your dad's not gray." There were a few gray hairs in the beard, but they didn't count. Not really. 

"Grecian Formula strikes again." 

Clark couldn't help the giggles that hit him at the image of Lionel dying that mane of hair. The giggles turned into full fledged belly laughter, and he rolled off the float. The sudden loss of Clark's ballast capsized the entire thing and spilled Lex into the water too, who quickly pushed himself to the surface, glaring at Clark before breaking into laughter himself. 

* * *

An hour later, and Clark was sunning himself on the deck, Lex lying beside him. Whitney and Chloe had appropriated the two-man float and were currently cuddled together on the silver air mattress as Pete carefully rubbed suntan oil onto Lana's skin. Martha stood at the fence and called over. "Lunch is ready!!" 

Clark didn't stir, and Lex rolled over to poke him. "Wake up, sleepyhead." 

"I'm awake, Lex. Just _not_ moving. This feels too good." 

Even Lionel was heading towards the grill, and Lex rolled his eyes at the thought of his father eating hot dogs. "You want me to bring you something back?" 

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks, Lex." His eyes slitted open. "For... everything." 

"You're welcome." Lex pushed himself to his feet and rooted in the bag for his shorts, which he slid on over his nearly dry Speedo. Barefoot and frowning, Lex moved across the hot boards and onto the cooler grass as he re-entered the Sullivan yard. His father had gravitated towards the Kents again, and once more Lex noticed a proliferation of punch cups. People seemed addicted to it. "Hello, Gabe." 

"Mr. Luthor! Lex. I'm sorry. Lex. It's nice to see you out and around town." He looked down at the grill. "Do you want hot dogs or hamburgers?" 

"Thank you for letting me come," Lex said politely. "I do need to ask a favor of you... I'd like to have a copy of my father's karaoke performance." 

Gabe's answering smile was not quite wicked. "Of course you would. It just so happens that it's on a tape by itself--I thought you might want it." 

"You're a good man, Gabe." Lex's return smile was sharky, and Gabe laughed. 

"I do try, Lex. I do try." He passed a plate to Lex, and then piled two hot dogs and two hamburgers on it. "There you go. Clark usually has one of each, and the fixings are over on the side there." 

Lex snapped his mouth shut at the assumption that he was serving Clark as well. Apparently Gabe Sullivan was observant as well as everything else. "Thanks again." He dug through the cooler under the table and pulled out a soft drink and a bottle of water before heading back across the yard. Clark was alone on the pool deck, still drinking up the sun's rays, and Lex sat down beside him. "Your dinner is served, Master Kent," Lex said dryly, dropping the cold soft drink onto Clark's stomach. 

Clark yelped as he finally sat up and put his back to the sun. "You're a wonderful man, Lex." 

"And don't you forget it," Lex teased lightly. 

"Don't intend to," Clark said, leaning over to brush a kiss across Lex's cheekbone. "I can't believe you waited on me." 

Lex turned a light shade of pink, the closest Clark had ever seen him come to blushing. "Don't get used to it, farmboy. You just... well, I didn't want to disturb your sunbathing." 

"Awww." 

"Clark, if you use the word cute, I will rip your vocal cords out with my bare hands." 

"That's adorable, Lex." 

"Clark..." Lex said, his voice trilling warningly. 

"You didn't say I couldn't say adorable. You just said I couldn't say cute." He took the empty plate and loaded a hot dog and a hamburger onto it, reaching out with one foot to rub against Lex's leg. 

"I knew I was going to regret buying you that thesaurus for your last birthday," Lex lamented. After looking around and making sure no one could see them, he scooted a little closer to Clark. 

* * *

After they'd finished eating, Clark and Lex sat on the edge of the pool, their feet dangling in the water. The rest of the group was back in the Sullivan yard, singing more karaoke songs, and Lex had flat-out refused. Clark was moving his feet like a little kid, and Lex was completely still, watching their reflections rippling and merging and separating in the water as Clark stirred it up. "Ripples are like lies, Clark. They start so small... and then they spread out and grow." 

Clark swallowed hard. He'd known this was coming, and irrationally, part of him had hoped that Lex would forget about it. "Yeah, they do. I guess now is the time, right?" 

Lex nodded. "Yes. Now's the time." 

"Okay." Clark took the last warm swallow of his soft drink and crumpled the can. "Um... this is hard." 

"Let me help," Lex said softly. "You're... not from this planet, are you?" That was a hard thing for Lex to say; even harder for him to believe. But he'd been formulating that theory for a very long time, and it had only gained credence when he'd felt the decidedly inhuman heart beating under Clark's skin. 

"No." Clark breathed softly; at least it was a place to start. "I don't know where I'm from, exactly. I thought I was a mutant until... until you hit me. When I went home, after the accident... Dad showed me. The ship, I mean. My ship. That I came here in. When I was just... a little kid. Like, three or four." Clark clasped his hands between his knees. "I thought for a while... that I was just... you know, special." 

"You are special, Clark." 

"Thanks. But... it's not... I don't _feel_ special anymore. Now I just feel like a freak. As long as I thought I was a mutant... it was okay to feel like a freak, because I was still kinda like everybody else. But when Dad told me... showed me the ship... it's like sorry, Clark, you're a freak from another planet." 

Lex's eyes darkened. "Jonathan said that?" Yet another reason for him to dislike the man if he had. 

"No. He didn't. But that's how I felt. Feel. Whatever. Dad's just... he's got these weird ideas. Like I'm supposed to use my--gifts, he calls them--to help around the farm and do good stuff, but I can't tell anyone about it. And I think he's scared of me too, sometimes. And I don't think he trusts me." 

Lex couldn't help but feel sorry for Clark. He'd been raised to lie from the moment--well, Lex guessed since he'd been found. He wanted to be angry, but he knew from experience with his own father that it was not easy to change a lifetime of conditioning. Especially considering the way Jonathan felt about Lex and the Luthors in general. "I trust you, Clark." 

"You have to, Lex. You're my friend." 

"No. I trust you because you've proven to me that you want to be my friend, because you've proven that you've got no ulterior motive." 

"Well... I kinda have one now," Clark admitted. 

"And what is that, Clark?" 

"I... kinda want you to... you know... make love with me." Clark blushed as he moved his feet in the water. 

Lex leaned in and rubbed his shoulder against Clark's. "That's not a motive, Clark. That's just healthy." He put his hand out on Clark's knee. "What I mean is, you're not trying to get close to me for any reason other than you like me." 

"Well, duh. I mean, why else would I?" 

And there it was. The nave innocence that made Clark so appealing. "In case you haven't noticed, I have a lot of money, a lot of connections, and a very big business. I've--well, let's just say I've known people who wanted at least one of the three and thought fucking me was the way to get to it. And I let them think it long enough to get what I wanted out of them." A confession of his own to match Clark's. 

"But you're not like that anymore." There was no hesitancy in Clark's voice, just a statement. "And it's enough now that you trust me. I don't need anyone else." A pause. "Just you." 

"I'm not going to press you for details, Clark. I don't want to know them. Not yet. You'll tell me when you want me to know." He squeezed Clark's knee. "And I'm okay with that. Because... I trust you. I know that... I know that you didn't have a choice. Your father... Jonathan worries for you, Clark, but I don't think that he gives you enough credit. I promise you, Clark... I'll always have faith in you." 

Clark leaned over and kissed Lex, tongue flicking lightly over his friend's lips as his hand touched the back of Lex's neck. "Thank you," Clark said seriously. "You don't realize how much that means to me." 

"As much as your faith in me means to me?" Lex countered softly. He let his thumb stroke Clark's cheekbone and then his lip. "Because nobody's had that faith in me before, Clark." Not seeking sympathy, just a statement of fact. Lex was a Luthor; nobody had faith in him, or if they did, it was faith that he'd turn out just like his father. Clark was the first who had had faith in him that he'd turn out otherwise. "So yes. I know." 

"We're--I mean, are we okay? With this?" Clark's free hand gestured vaguely between himself and Lex. 

"Yes. We're okay. We're going to be okay. I told you the day after we met, Clark. We have a future together. And I don't mean it in the short term." 

That actually won a small smile from Clark. "You never think in terms of short term." 

"Too limiting," Lex agreed. "But do you understand what I'm saying to you, Clark?" 

The small smile turned blindingly large. "Yeah. I think I do." 

* * *

By the time everyone had eaten their fill of hot dogs and hamburgers, it was nearing five o'clock. The kids were back in the pool, and the adults were starting the cleanup. Jonathan was nowhere in sight, most likely tracking Lionel down, and Martha was helping Gabe pick up the trash from the party. 

Clark was sitting on the deck, his back against one of the deck rails as he watched his friends swimming and roughhousing. Lex was leaning beside him, and they were sharing a bottle of water. Lex was still in his shorts, Clark in his now-dry swim trunks, and the young man rested his chin on his upraised knees. "Hey, Lex?" 

"Mmm?" Lex rolled his head so that he could look at Clark as the young man stared out over the pool. 

"Ever feel like you've just gone through the most screwed up day in the world, only it can't be that screwy cause somehow stuff ended up _right?_ " Clark darted a glance at his hopefully soon-to-be lover. 

"You mean like today?" Lex asked, passing the water bottle over to Clark. "Yeah, I've had a few of those days. Like when Dad shipped me out here. Thought that was the most screwed up day of my life, but it turned out to be one of the best. I found a new home, a friend, someone who accepts me for who I am... someone who just happens to be not from around here." Lex gently nudged Clark's shoulder with his own. 

Clark halfway smiled. "Yeah, like I said... weird." He turned his eyes back towards the sky. "You know, I'm half expecting the sun not to set, or something." 

Lex couldn't help the laugh. "It's not that world shattering, Clark. People fall in love and embark on new relationships all the time." 

Clark looked at Lex, thunderstruck. He'd all but openly admitted that he loved Clark, but not quite. It was great. "I know, but... it's us. You know, legendary and all that." 

"And we will be legendary, Clark. I promise you that. But... you've been reading my press releases," he teased gently. "I hate to be the one who tells you this, but the world doesn't really revolve around me." 

"Mine does," Clark said simply, and kissed Lex softly. At that moment, he didn't really care who saw. 

Nobody saw; Chloe and Whitney were too busy doing the same thing, as were Pete and Lana; even Jonathan and Martha were kissing under the dying rays of the sun. 

* * *

"Mom, Dad, I'm going home with Lex tonight." Like it was the most natural thing in the world, Clark saying that. 

"Clark... That's fine, but... can you help us move Lionel out?" Martha asked, not really paying attention to what Clark had just said. 

"Move... Lionel?" Clark had formulated the question in his head, but it was Lex's voice speaking it. 

"Yeah, it seems like... well... it looks like he's... drunk," she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I didn't even think your father drank today, Lex." 

"He--drunk?" Lex repeated. Lionel. Drunk. Just one more weird-as-fuck thing happening on this weird-as-fuck day. 

"Yes, that's why we need Clark's help. Jonathan can't move him alone. Clark... we were thinking you wouldn't mind staying over at Lex's would you?" 

"Um... no. Not at all. You're okay with that, right, Lex?" Clark was grinning at his friend. 

"Of course. My castle is your castle, as long as you need it." Lex nodded back, too flabbergasted to grin. "I'll... meet you at the car." He slipped the black bag from Clark's shoulder and carried it over the Lamborghini. Leaning against the rear spoiler, Lex watched as Clark and Jonathan manhandled the insensate Lionel Luthor into the back of the truck, and then Clark sprinted over to Lex. 

"Lex... can you follow us back to the house? Or do you want me to just run over to the castle after I help Dad unload Lionel?" 

"Oh, no. I'd be thrilled to follow you, Clark. I wouldn't want to miss a second of this." He tossed the bag into the passenger seat and got in, watching in the rearview mirror as Clark leapt nimbly into the bed of the pickup truck and steadied Lionel as he lay draped over the bales of hay in the back. He looked around the yard once and shook his head. Chloe was disappearing into the house, towing Whitney close behind her as Pete was escorting Lana to her truck and sliding in beside her. 

As the Kents were pulling out, Gabe sprinted to Lex's car, videotapes in hand. "Here, Lex. These are for you. This is the original of your Dad, and of you too. Thought you might like those." 

"Gabe... You are a good man. I will be looking for someone to eventually replace me, probably in the next two to three years. I'd like to talk to you on Monday about possibly stepping into the role." Lex pulled on his gloves and his sunglasses as he stowed the videotapes safely in his glove compartment. "That is, if you're interested. And just so you know, it has nothing to do with these tapes. I have had my eye on you for quite some time, and you've proven time and again that my trust in you hasn't been misplaced." 

Gabe nodded solemnly. "I'd love to talk to you, Lex. Just call me in on Monday, and I'll be there whenever you're ready." 

Lex extended his hand through the open window. "Again, thank you. This was a very..." 

"Interesting day?" Gabe supplied, lips quirking upwards as he shook Lex's hand. 

"That's putting it mildly." He waited for Gabe to step back, and then he pulled out of the man's yard and onto the street, flooring the accelerator to catch up to the Kents. 

* * *

Lex rolled to a stop in the Kents' driveway, watching as Clark helped his father maneuver the sleeping Luthor into the house. He got out of the car to meet Martha halfway as she walked over to him. "Lex, I really appreciate you letting Clark stay over with you tonight; I think it's better all around that he not be here when your father wakes up, probably in a very bad mood. Jonathan usually has good luck keeping Lionel calm, so when he wakes up in the morning, at least he won't be such a bear to Jonathan." 

Lex tried not to grin lecherously. "It's no problem, Mrs. Kent. In fact, it's my pleasure." _Or will be, before the night is out..._

Martha smiled at him again and hurried into the house, waving a brief goodbye as Clark slammed out the door and sailed over to Lex's car. "Okay, we can go now. We got your dad into the house and onto the couch. He got a little grabby with my Dad, but he's back asleep now." 

Lex almost fell into the car when Clark mentioned Lionel getting grabby with Jonathan. _No. Couldn't, wouldn't, not even a chance in hell._ He watched, amused, as Clark reached into his shorts and obviously adjusted himself. "You know, Clark..." 

"Don't even say it, Lex. I'm just closing my eyes and pretending I'm not hard." 

"I was just going to suggest you jerk off in the car and take the edge off, but if you want to suffer... that's your business. I never pegged you for a masochist though." 

"You... you... in this car... are you out of your mind?" Clark was unable to process the entire thought. "I mean, this is a Lamborghini, Lex! You don't just jerk off in a Lamborghini!!" 

"I have," Lex shrugged eloquently. "But that's just me." 

Clark's mouth worked soundlessly for a few minutes. "Oh why the hell not?" he finally shrugged. He lifted his hips as he eased his shorts down, and leaned his head back against the headrest. He jumped slightly as the seat moved, and he turned to find Lex smirking at him as he reclined the bucket seat for Clark. 

"There you go, Clark." Lex angled his rearview mirror so that it reflected Clark's face and his passenger side mirror so that it reflected Clark's hand on his cock. "Talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking about." 

Clark shook his head. "You... talk to me." He settled himself in the reclined seat and wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking gently. His other hand rubbed over his chest and stomach before gently tugging his balls. 

"You want me to talk dirty to you, Clark? Is that what you want?" Clark nodded once, convulsively. "What do you want me to say?" 

"Fuck, Lex!" Clark's fist stroked a little faster as his eyes closed. "I don't care. Just... talk." 

"I don't think anyone's ever asked me to talk dirty to them before," Lex teased, his eyes on the mirrors. "I haven't had a lot of practice." A growl issued forth from Clark's throat, and Lex sobered up. Enough teasing. "You know I want to fuck you, Clark. I wonder how tight your ass is, if you're as hot inside as you are outside." Lex's hand slipped inside the neck of Clark's shirt to rest on his bare shoulder. "If you feel silky and smooth inside, how hard you'll clench down on my cock when I try and pull out of you." Clark whimpered as Lex touched him, and he sped up his stroking. "I wonder what you'll taste like," Lex purred. "If you'll be shocked when I put my tongue up your ass, or if you'll just spread open and let me do it because you know I want to taste all of you I possibly can." 

Clark's fist pounded his groin as he jacked off hard. "God... Lex... just a little more... please." 

Lex's thumb rubbed Clark's shoulder. "I'm going to lick your ass... push my tongue in as far as it will go, fucking you with it. Getting you ready to take my cock, getting your hole nice and wet and slick so when I fuck you--" 

Clark's body twisted savagely as he came, cock spurting in hard jets that spilled on Clark's hand, belly and chest. Clark bit off the cry of Lex's name, grunting as he fucked his hand and felt his cock sliding in the cooling semen. "Lex," he finally whispered, ripping off his shirt and using it to clean himself up. 

"I'm never getting rid of this car," Lex breathed softly. 

* * *

As soon as Lex pulled the Lamborghini to a stop in front of the house, Clark was out of the car and flying up the steps. He supposed a horny alien teenager was probably not the world's most patient creature, and so he quickly followed. By the time he got to the front door, there was a trail for him to follow. 

A semen-stained shirt halfway down the hall to his office. Lex's shirt joined it. 

A pair of shorts a little further down the hall. Lex peeled off his own shorts and shoes and left them there with Clark's. It was what Enrique got paid for. 

The swim trunks on the threshold, and Lex dropped his, entering the office as naked as he hoped Clark was. 

He didn't see the boy at first, until there was a whistle from the back corner. "Nice view." Lex turned to find Clark lying on the slick felt of the pool table, legs spread and hanging over the side, holding a pool cue in his hands. "Rack my balls?" 

Briefly, Lex thanked whatever deity that had provided this scene for his next thirty or forty jack-off sessions. He walked over to stand between Clark's open legs, and he was surprised when Clark hooked one leg around his hip and pulled himself down to the edge of the table. "Clark?" 

"I am sick of waiting, Lex. I am sick of being teased, I am sick of interruptions, I am sick of everything but the idea of you and me together, hot and sweaty and slick and sliding against each other." 

Lex swallowed hard. "Who are you and what have you done with Clark Kent?" Clark didn't talk like this. 

"Clark is just extremely frustrated right now, and really, really wants you to do those things you talked about in the car." Clark's leg around Lex's hip brought the bald man closer. "I want you to fuck me, Lex. With your cock and your tongue." Clark was proud of the fact he didn't stumble over the sexy words. "I want to lick you and suck you too, like you tried to do to me in the bathroom, only this time we won't get interrupted. And then when we're done and you've shown me what to do, I'm going to shove you against the wall in your bedroom and fuck you there just because of the teasing strip show you gave me this morning." 

Lex pulled Clark's legs so that both wrapped around his waist. "If you don't shut up, I'm going to fuck you on this table, right now." 

Clark sat up and licked Lex's ear as he whispered. "That's sort of the idea, Lex." Clark unwrapped his legs from around Lex's waist and got onto his knees, spreading his legs and thighs so that his ass was open and exposed to Lex. 

Lex didn't wait for a further invitation. He put his hands on Clark's cheeks and pushed them apart, revealing the tight opening between them. _Virgin opening,_ Lex reminded himself as he pushed his tongue in. Lex sighed as he felt Clark's ass clenching slightly against his tongue, and he spread the young man wider, working his tongue a little farther in and forcing the muscle to relax and give as he pulled his tongue out then pushed back in again. Clark moaned softly, his ass opening further and allowing more of Lex's tongue in. The wet slurp of Lex's mouth against his skin was driving him crazy, and Clark wiggled against Lex's face. "Clark... God... be still," Lex barked, squeezing his cock as his imagination fired off the thought of Clark doing that little shimmy as Lex's cock was buried deep in his ass. 

"I don't want to be still," Clark hissed. "I want your cock up my ass." 

Lex knew that frustration was driving Clark, and he had to admit that he was suffering the same feeling. "Don't move." He disentangled himself from Clark just long enough to go to his desk, ransack the bottom drawer and come back with a bottle of lubricant. Squeezing the bottle as he walked, he coated his cock well with the slick liquid and then set the bottle on the table beside Clark. His hands closed hard on his lover's hips and pulled him back. "You want it hard, Clark?" He rubbed the head of his cock against Clark's wet opening. "Or do you want it soft and slow?" 

"Hard," Clark gasped. "No more waiting. I want to feel it, Lex. Want to feel you. Now. Please." 

"I thought so," Lex whispered softly. He stroked his hand along his cock again, slicking his fingers before they pressed into Clark. At the first intrusion, Clark shook his head. "What, Clark?" 

"Don't need it. Won't hurt, can't hurt, just need you now. Please." Clark pushed back against Lex once, undulating carefully against his lover's cock. "Nothing else, just you." 

Lex dragged Clark to the edge of the pool table and pushed him down on his face. He put one hand on the back of Clark's neck and with the other, pressed the head of his cock against Clark's slick hole. He pushed firmly, and the wide head slid into the unstretched opening. Clark cried out, pushing back against the intrusion in his body as Lex pushed forward. "Clark," Lex whispered. 

"God, so good. More, Lex. Give me more." 

"Fuck!" Lex tightened his grip on the back of Clark's neck and pushed further inside, thrusting and sliding until he was sheathed to the balls in the boy's tight ass. Clark's hands were denting the wood of the pool table, and Lex didn't give a good goddamn. He fought to pull his cock out of Clark's ass, and then he pushed back in. The slickness of the lube was nothing against the heat and tightness of his lover, and Lex didn't know how he was going to survive outside of Clark ever again. 

Clark was moaning as he rubbed his aching cock against the soft felt of the pool table. He reached for his erection, and Lex reached around with his free hand and slapped Clark's hand. Clark mewled in protest as he rocked back on Lex's pounding cock, and Lex tightened his grip on the back of Clark's neck. "Not yet... God, Clark... want to feel all of you. Want to come with you." 

Clark moaned softly at that, his body rocking as his ass clenched on Lex's cock. The feeling of Lex pulling out sent spikes of cold loss through him before Lex pounded back into him again, burning the nerve endings just frozen. Over and over again this happened, Clark's stomach clenching as Lex pulled out, relaxing as he thrust back in, and the wood of the table was almost splintering and he just didn't care. All that mattered was Lex fucking his ass, the hand on the back of his neck holding him steady and the throbbing of his cock. "Need to come Lex... hurts," Clark whimpered. 

Lex slid his hand between Clark and the pool table and stroked the hard length. The boy's cock felt like it was ready to burst the skin, and again, Clark let out a pained whimper as his erection was touched. "Sssh, lover... I'll take care of you, Clark." He fumbled for the lube bottle, stilling his strokes in Clark for an instant as he reached and squirted. Clark hissed as the cold gel hit his hot flesh, but the soothing slickness wrapped around him and he cried out as Lex slowly and easily jacked his length, coating it thoroughly. When that was done, Lex moved a cool, slick hand back to Clark's neck, and with his other hand kept jacking Clark's cock with slow, gentle strokes. The boy whimpered and cursed as Lex fucked him hard, but Lex refused to speed up his touches until he was ready to come. 

Clark half turned, bringing Lex's gel-slick hand from his neck to his chest, urging his lover to squeeze and roll the tight bud of his nipple as Clark's fingers tended the other. Lex did so gladly, nails teasing the puckered nub as the slickness of the gel helped his fingers to skate across it. "Please come, Lex," Clark pled between breathless pants. "Love you, Lex... please come." 

Lex grunted as Clark pled with him, and his strokes grew faster and harder. He moved his hand from Clark's nipple and put it back on Clark's neck as he started to jack the boy's cock in earnest. Each stroke wrung a whimper or a cry from Clark as he twisted on Lex's cock, squeezing with his ass until Lex shouted loudly and twisted the foreskin around Clark's cock. With a shout of his own, Clark spilled his seed over Lex's hand at the same moment Lex came inside Clark in long, shuddering spurts. Lex pulled out, wincing at the soreness of his cock as he slid out and clutched Clark tightly around the waist. "Clark... God... I've never felt... that intense." He pulled himself along Clark's body to kiss the base of his lover's neck, then dragged his tongue down Clark's spine. "I don't know... what I'm going to do without you." 

Clark turned on the table, lying on his back and wrapping his arms around Lex, pulling him to lie on top of him. Sweat and come were already drying and gluing them together, but Clark didn't care at the moment. "You won't ever be without me, Lex. I told you. I love you." 

Lex shook his head. "You have to go home sometime, Clark." Lex buried the strangled laugh in Clark's shoulder. He used the laughter to deflect the real underlying worry there; what would he do when he had to give Clark up? To protect him from Lionel or himself, Lex knew the day would come. But for now, he refused to think on it... much. 

Clark laughed softly, not at all expecting that kind of... well, almost lovesick humor from his lover. "It's not like I'm that far away, Lex. Like, two seconds, if I run." He kissed Lex's scalp. "Two minutes if you drive like a bat out of hell." Then his face got serious. "I mean it, Lex. You're not ever going to be without me." 

Lex stretched, wincing slightly as he slid off the table and onto the floor. "I know, Clark. I'm just... being foolish." He smiled at the boy as he drew Clark to his feet. "Come on. Let's go upstairs. We need to shower, and then... I'm going to make love to you in bed. The way it should be done." 

Clark slid off the table, wincing himself when he saw his fingermarks in the table. "I'm sorry about the pool table." 

Lex grinned. "Don't be; it's going to look great in the bedroom." There was no way the site of their first lovemaking was ever going to leave his possession. 

* * *

The next morning sunlight spilled brightly into Smallville, the clouds that had made the previous night's sunset so beautiful nowhere in sight. 

* * *

Clark stirred in the large bed, sliding across unfamiliar silk sheets as he wondered for a millisecond where he was. Then he registered the feel of hot smooth skin in his arms and he relaxed, pulling his pliant lover close. He snuggled Lex into his curves, kissing the tip of Lex's spine before closing his eyes again, the fingers of one hand twining with Lex's as the other rested over his lover's heart. 

Lex didn't stir as he felt Clark waken, and instead closed his eyes and feigned sleep as he felt Clark stiffen and then relax as realization washed over him. He luxuriated in the warmth of Clark's body as he was cuddled close, and then silently choked back the lump in his throat as Clark's reverent touch came to rest over his heart and the boy fell back to his innocent slumber. 

* * *

Whitney slammed his eyes shut as soon as they opened. The sunlight was blindingly bright in the yellow room. Yellow room? When the hell did he get a yellow room? Whitney sat up, sheet falling to his waist as he looked down at himself. His chest was bare. His legs were bare. He was still wearing shorts, though. Thank God. He dropped back down onto the puffy yellow pillows, and as soon as he did, a feminine arm came out from under the sunflower comforter and draped across his chest. The woman in bed with him snuggled up to his side, and wavy blonde hair splayed across his shoulder. Wait. Rewind. Blonde hair? Whitney picked up the comforter and peeked, and then dropped it almost instantly. "Chloe... um... wake up." 

Chloe felt the warm body next to her shift, but when it dropped back into place, she snuggled back up to it--him--draping her arm over his warm, hard chest. Funny, her dreams of Clark and Whitney had never been this substantial before. She curled up at his side, resting her head on his shoulder and drowsing until a voice shocked her into waking. She sat bolt upright, comforter falling and baring her naked chest until Whitney--what the hell? Whitney?--cleared his throat and she jerked the blanket back up. "What the hell are you doing in my room?" She clapped her hand to her head, blanket partially falling. 

Whitney groaned softly, echoing her motion and cradling his head as her voice rang shrilly in his head. "You know... I was _really_ hoping you could tell me that." 

* * *

Lana woke up with a bitter taste in her mouth, and as soon as she opened her eyes, she raised her arm to shield them from the bright sunlight. Kicking back the blankets, she moved to get out of bed when she noticed something. Her legs were bare, instead of tangled in the soft white cotton of her nightgown. Dropping her arm long enough to look, Lana looked down at herself and realized she was fully dressed. In clothing that didn't belong to her. Feet on the floor, she swayed slightly as she got out of bed and steadied herself with a hand to the footboard. Once she was sure she could move without toppling over, she walked gingerly towards the bathroom, and almost jumped out of her skin as she heard a grunt from the guest room. Steadying herself on the doorframe as her heart pounded, she shook her head as she saw her clothing strewn all over the room. The grunting was coming from the bed, and she dragged the quilt back. Pete was naked except for a pair of blue shorts, and he was snoring, dead to the world. "Pete!" she shouted. 

Pete shivered when the warm quilt was dragged off him, and at the shout of his name, he shot out of the bed, landing on his ass on the floor. Scrambling to his feet, he gaped at his surroundings, then gaped again as he saw Lana--Lana Lang? What the--dressed in _his_ clothing. "Um... girl... you wanna tell me what's up here?" 

Lana shook her head softly. "I have no idea." 

* * *

Lionel was not accustomed to waking with sunlight in his face. Nor was he accustomed to waking with bodily aches and pains, and yet both things troubled him. His eyes felt as though they'd been glued shut, and he forced them open, refusing to blink at the flood of sunlight that threatened to blind him. 

His first order of business was to run down the ache that plagued him. He narrowed it down to two problems: his tightly-clenched fist and his back. Opening his fist and relaxing it was simple, but the sight of four white buttons shocked him. As he looked down at himself to check for missing buttons, he was flabbergasted to find himself all but naked, clad only in black briefs that concealed very little. 

Pulling himself up was the next order of business, and only then did he notice his surroundings. Not his penthouse bedroom but the rustic dcor of the Kents' rural hellhole. As he pushed himself upright, he registered that whatever he'd been sleeping on was not a cushion and was, in fact, a human leg. 

A leg attached to Jonathan Kent. 

Who was currently still sleeping on the far end of the couch, minus his shirt-which, Lionel saw a split-second later, was shoved approximately where his head had been before. 

A shirt that happened to be missing four little white buttons. 

Buttons. Speaking of buttons... Jonathan's were undone. But his fly was still zipped, and Lionel scrubbed his face and beard with his hands. What in the name of God had happened last night? 

* * *

Jonathan woke when an ungentle hand shook him. Looking down, he took inventory of himself, trying to work in his disorientation. He was--downstairs. In the living room. Not in bed. Half naked. Not his usual state, definitely. The hand shaking him belonged to--"Luthor? What the--" He noticed how the other man was dressed, or not dressed, actually. "Christ almighty, Lionel. What the--" 

"You actually think I have the slightest clue?" 

* * *

Sounds of two masculine voices shouting woke Martha. Groggy, she reached over for Jonathan and found the bed cold. Rolling out of bed, she wrapped herself in a pink flannel robe and slippers and headed down the hallway for the stairs. She nearly called for Clark until she realized that neither voice could be that of her son; one was Jonathan and the other sounded like Lionel Luthor. What would Lionel be doing here? As she came down the bottom stairs, she got her first look at both men. Neither was very awake, and both looked as though they were nursing massive headaches, nearly the companion of the one pounding in her temples. For once unwilling to deal with the situation, Martha Kent turned and climbed the stairs back to the bedroom, leaving the two men to sort things out on their own. 

Or not. 

* * *

By late afternoon, everyone had pretty much realized what happened. Chloe sat squeezed into a booth at the Talon beside Whitney, and to everyone's surprise--including her own--she was defending the quarterback. Lex had already congratulated Whitney and offered the young man anything in the world as thanks for the opportunity to get the goods on his father. Lana still wasn't speaking to Whitney, and Pete had just paused to thank Whitney for pissing Lana off so he had a chance. Clark was silent throughout the whole thing, not saying a word as he hadn't been affected by the alcohol at all. 

Lana stormed out angrily, followed by Pete. Chloe risked a glance at Clark, looking from an empty booth to him and then back to the booth again. Clark got the message, and he and Lex shuffled over to the empty booth, leaving Chloe and Whitney alone. 

"Chloe... thanks. I mean... well, I'm sorry. It was stupid." 

"Yeah, but... it's okay. Everyone had fun, and if they did something stupid, well, it won't be the first time we've humiliated ourselves in front of each other, right?" Chloe's eyes were bright, and she was talking a mile a minute. 

"Right," Whitney echoed softly, watching Chloe's animated face as she talked. "Chloe, calm down." He tentatively reached out for her hand. "Seriously... thank you." 

"Calm. Right. You're welcome." She laughed, and Whitney smiled. "Wow." 

* * *

Clark studied Lex across their booth. "Lex, you okay?" 

"Clark... You drank quite a bit of that punch yesterday." Lex's voice was oddly flat and emotionless, and it gave Clark a chill. "Are you... _were_ you..." 

"No!" Clark said, horrified. "Not even! I don't get drunk, Lex. It's... not possible. I've tried." He put his hands on Lex's. "Man, don't even think it. I knew just what I was doing. Besides, even if it were true... you know I kissed you before I had a drop to drink. You know I wanted you. Not like I was subtle." 

Lex gave a soft smile at that. "That's true. I'm sorry, Clark, I didn't mean to doubt you." 

Clark squeezed his lover's hands. "It's okay. You had a right to. But don't worry about it anymore. I'm with you cause I want to be. Total free will here." 

Lex picked up their intertwined hands and kissed Clark's. "This summer tradition of yours... this party... it's not _always_ going to include spiked punch, is it?" 

Clark grinned. "Maybe. Keeps things interesting, you know?" 

"Interesting... Interesting is what I'd use to describe my father's reaction to the tape." 

A shadow fell over their table, and Lex looked up. Lionel. Back in his suit, back to having a stick up his ass. "What tape, Lex?" 

Lex smiled at his father, his expression positively shark-like. "Do I have something to show you, Dad." 

The End 


End file.
